Scott Peterson

While studying at Davis, Scott had two extended California internships; one at Ironhorse Vineyards, a small family-owned estate in Sebastapol. The other was at Chateau St. Jean in Sonoma Valley. At both wineries he perfected the art of meticulous small lot winemaking.

Scott’s first winemaking position was with Villa Mt. Eden in Napa Valley, followed by positions with Conn Creek Winery, and Kendall Jackson Estate wineries. In the course of those positions, Scott had two mentors who profoundly influenced his views on winemaking. At Napa’s Conn Creek Winery Scott collaborated with the reputed “Father of California winemaking” AndreTchelistcheff, who trained other notable winemakers including the Mondavis. At the time, Scott was in his mid-twenties and Tchelistcheff was in his early eighties. Tchelistcheff’s vast knowledge and systematic, scientific approach to winemaking coupled with his humble demeanor had a great influence on Scott. He instilled the notion that with attention to detail in the vineyard and timely intervention in the cellar, special wines can be created. At Villa Mt. Eden, Scott worked with Jed Steele, a skilled winemaker and promoter, who instilled in Scott the simple concept that “you have to know how to make the wine taste good”.

Scott rapidly moved up the corporate ladder at Kendall Jackson before leaving in 1998 to pursue his dream of starting his own winemaking consultin gbusiness and producing his own wine, called S.P. Drummer.

His first consulting position was with Argentina’s flagship producer Catena, where he succeeded Paul Hobbs as consulting winemaker. At Catena, Scott oversaw production of the world-class Nicolas Catena Zapata, Catena Alta and the Gascon wines. In addition to producing SP Drummer wines in California,
Scott also is the consultant winemaker at Chile’s Viña Sutil, crafting La Playa wines from the emerging wine region of Colchagua Valley. There, Scott works closely with the winemaking and viticultural team on site, using the latest technological advances and excellent raw materials to create world-class wines.

Furthering his international repertoire, Scott set off to the unlikely spot of Transylvania in 2000 to help with a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) project promoting Romanian wine. USAID is currently working to increase the international visibility and recognition of Romanian wines by recognizing grapes as a crop that can help supplement the income of tens of thousands of small farmers.

Of his winemaking experience in both the northern and southern hemispheres, Scott relates “For the past six years, I’ve been harvesting grapes twice a year. If you really like to make wine, and I do, then harvest is really what winemaking is all about. Only by experience can you truly make world-class wines.”