Adam Casto

Winemaker, Ehlers Estate

Adam was first introduced to the world of wine by an interest in map collecting. A gift of two wines supplied with associated maps, Barolo and the Mayacamas, offered the experience of wine as coming from specific places, but more importantly the awareness of wine as being a reflection, rather than just products of them. Several years later, a chance encounter with the scientist and winemaker George Hendry would inspire in him a new imagination of what was possible, setting him on a fantastic adventure around the earth that would instill in him an ever-evolving understanding of wine as a complex interplay between the climate, people, culture and vineyards that produce it.

Under the tutelage of Philippe Melka and others, Adam not only learned first-rate winemaking, but what it means in practice rather than in rhetoric to focus first on the vineyard, to have joy for the experience, and a confidence that this is what will be most palpable.

Adam's winemaking philosophy finds alignment with Ehlers Estate's dedication to sustainability and authenticity. The estate's commitment to organic farming resonates with his belief that exceptional winemakers are those who cultivate exceptional fruit, and the values of being open to and reciprocating with the all the various human, material and environmental elements of the endeavor.

Country born: USA

Education: The continuing tradition of apprenticeship within the industry is a critical and differentiating feature that sustains the connections between us and engenders the broad perspectives that have empowered us with cultural relevance for centuries, or more.

I have been fortunate to have an incredible tribe of mentors that have all shaped and informed my understanding of what it means to be not just a good winemaker, but a good person in profound and incalculable ways.

Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years

Winemaking Philosophy:
The best wines in the world are made by minimizing the imposition of will. Following this, the ideal approach is to identify the traits inherent to a site and seek to promote the best version of those qualities, whatever they may be.