Peter Newton (vintner)
Peter Newton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 August 1926 London, England |
| Died | 4 February 2008 (aged 81) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Creator of Sterling Vineyards and Newton Vineyard |
Peter Leigh Newton (27 August 1926 – 4 February 2008) was an English-American entrepreneur in the wine industry, recognized as the creator of Sterling Vineyards and Newton Vineyard.
Early life
Newton was born in London as the son of racing driver Frank Newton. Alongside his brother Kenneth, he attended Charterhouse School before earning a law degree from Balliol College, Oxford in 1949. During World War II, he served with the British Army's Rifle Corps.
Career
Newton’s professional journey began at the Financial Times, where a letter he wrote concerning UK industry nationalisation led to his appointment as West Coast correspondent based in San Francisco in 1950. The following year, he established Sterling International, a wholesale paper company headquartered in San Francisco. Initially focused on importing British tissue paper, the company later expanded production facilities to Canada, Trinidad, and Thailand before Newton eventually sold it.
In 1964, Newton launched Sterling Vineyards, and by 1973 had constructed the winery near Calistoga, notable for its aerial tramway access. The estate gained prominence, attracting dignitaries such as Prince Charles in 1977. After selling Sterling to Coca-Cola in 1979, he founded Newton Vineyard, specializing in high-quality Napa Valley Merlot and distinguished by its signature unfiltered Chardonnay and Merlot selections.
Personal life
Newton met Anne St. Aubyn at his London residence in 1950. They married the next year in San Francisco and had three children: Carol Boone, Gail Showley, and Nigel Newton, who later founded Bloomsbury Publishing. Anne passed away in 1970. In 1979, Newton wed Su Hua Lin; their marriage ended in divorce in 2005.
He took particular pride in his granddaughter Alice’s discovery of Harry Potter after Nigel shared a chapter of J. K. Rowling’s then-unpublished manuscript with her in 1997.
At his home in St. Helena, California, Newton curated fifteen themed gardens encompassing Zen, rose, and classic English designs.
Newton passed away on 4 February 2008 at age 81 and was interred in St. Helena.