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MEET HELEN KEPLINGER
The culture of wine has been a part of my life since I can remember. My dad had a wine cellar, which was the source of my childhood wine bottle collection — I also collected rocks, an early indication of my future as a winegrower. Wine accompanied every gourmet dinner my mom prepared nightly; this combination of food and wine was an important part of our family evenings together and social gatherings, and ignited a connection to and interest in that remained with me and only grew stronger with time.
Over many years now, I have continued to hone this artisanal craft, with tenures at Kenzo Estate, Arrow & Branch, and Bryant Family Vineyard, and working with Michel Rolland, Claude Gros, and David Abreu which have had an influence in further developing my philosophies and practices. I find wines are more unique, nuanced, and captivating when they have a clear connection to a vineyard, sense of place, and hallmark of a vintage, and that thoughtful work in the vineyard and winery always shows in the wines. I continue to fine tune my winemaking practices, and better my understanding of each vineyard block and how to best harness its expression each year.
In addition to Keplinger and Vermillion, I am privileged to have been making the incredible wines of Grace Family Vineyards, Carte Blanche Wine, and Kerr Cellars for over 10 vintages. I aim to honor what is unique about each rather than painting with a broad stroke, for it is in the differences and authenticity of each that they will see their full potential.
I absolutely love what I do — I constantly strive to make great wines, and respect that each wine is a reflection not only of its origin, but the variables and characteristics of a particular vintage.
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