Adam Lee’s journey to becoming a winemaker is as unexpected as it is inspiring.

Raised in Austin, Texas, Adam was the adopted son of two older Southern Baptist parents. His early career aspirations ranged from being a garbage man to a minister, and later, a history professor. At Trinity University in San Antonio, he studied the comparative history of French and American prison systems, but when that didn’t lead to a job, he took a position at a wine retail store. Eventually, he found himself as one of the wine buyers for Neiman Marcus in Dallas.

Despite his success in retail, Adam’s heart was set on California’s Wine Country. In 1993, he moved to Sonoma County with the dream of becoming a winemaker. Co-founding Siduri Wines in 1994, his Pinot Noir venture quickly took off, growing from 107 cases in its first year to a staggering 35,000 cases by 2015. That same year, he sold Siduri Wines to Jackson Family Winery in an attempt to simplify his life—though that attempt, as he admits, proved futile.

In 2017, Adam launched Clarice Wine Company, named after his grandmother. This small production winery has garnered high praise, pushing the boundaries of quality in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Following a trip to the Southern Rhone in 2019, Adam co-founded Beau Marchais Winery with legendary French winemaker Philippe Cambie. The project flourished until Philippe’s untimely death, and today, Adam continues to consult for several wineries, focusing primarily on Pinot Noir.

Adam’s greatest joys, however, are his three children—Christian, Amber, and Truett—and his wonderful fiancée, Moret Brealynn Chavez. They, along with his love for wine, are the center of his world.

PARTICIPATING EVENTS:

Sunday Grand Tasting at The Farmhouse