Kent Rosenblum

He was a veterinarian living in San Francisco's East Bay when he started making wine in his basement in 1972. It didn’t take long for his newfound hobby to morph into a passion that could not be ignored. In 1978, Rosenblum Cellars opened in Alameda, California, a place known more for its docks and shipyards than for winemaking. But then again, Kent Rosenblum, “The King of Zin,” always did things a little differently from the status quo.

When most of the established wineries in California were focused on their estate-grown wines, Kent chose to explore some of the unrecognized and underappreciated grape-growing areas of Northern California. He met families who had been growing grapes for generations; dedicated growers passionate about their vineyards who worked tirelessly to grow the best grapes possible from old vines their families had planted years before. Kent took grapes back to Alameda and began to make wines, acknowledging the contributions of his friends by placing the vineyard’s name on the bottle. Working out of a factory building near the docks, Kent and his crew looked more like longshoremen than winemakers. But the wine they made spoke for itself, making it one of the first urban wineries in California to become a popular tourist destination.

Our winemaker

In 2002, Tsegeletos joined Cline Family Cellars and managed all winemaking, production operations, and grower relations. During his tenure, he played a critical role in building the company’s portfolio of nationally and internationally recognized wine brands including Cline Family Cellars, Cashmere, Farmhouse, and Jacuzzi Family Vineyards. He also produced and helped launch the highly successful brand, Red Truck wine in 2003, which the company later sold to Bronco Wine Company.

In 2007 when Jacuzzi Family Vineyards launched, Tsegeletos spearheaded the winemaking program, developing over 20 wines made from unique Italian varieties. He partnered with family-owned growers who helped preserve these lesser-known varieties throughout Northern and Central California. Tsegeletos collaborated with these growers to ensure the unique flavor characteristics of each varietal were maintained, and he enhanced the flavors in the cellar by embracing Italian winemaking traditions.