We all invent our lives, and perhaps Suzanne has been more inventive than most. Her early education as an art historian brought her two delicious years in Italy and, then moving into publishing, a cover article and related research position in Switzerland. Marriage took her to three years in France where she was seduced, utterly, by the Pinot grape. The unlikely next step was a move to Denver, Colorado and the addition of three darling offspring in the span of five years. As Co director of the University of Denver Publishing Institute, skiing and cycling in alternating seasons, she, very nearly,  lived there happily ever after. But the grape could never be denied, and when she first visited the raw, hilly landscape just north of Rickreall it was love at first sight… and the rest, now a glorious two decades in the making, is Left Coast Estate.

Taylor began working in the vineyards at the age of 15 during the summer break from high school, mowing grass and tending to the vines with the field crew. He attended the University of British Columbia and graduated in 2011 with a degree in History. He worked his first harvest during 2011 in the winery and has been involved with Left Coast ever since, learning about the wine industry from the ground up. He got his MBA in Wine and Spirits from Kedge Business School, based out of Bordeaux, France in 2015. Taylor assumed the position of CEO in May of 2016 and is excited to lead Left Coast into the future with a focus on improved sustainability and wine quality. In his free time, Taylor enjoys snowboarding in the mountainous terrain of the Pacific Northwest.

Shardul and his family joined Left Coast as owners in 2017. Shardul and Taylor met at Kedge Business School while they were both pursuing their MBA’s in Wine & Spirits. Shardul had previously managed exports for Sula Winery (India’s largest) and was excited to take his knowledge and expertise to Left Coast’s robust wholesale channels while simultaneously developing our export markets. The growth and availability of Left Coast wines across 37 states and 7 international markets has been greatly facilitated by Shardul’s diligence and enthusiasm for delivering high quality and great value Left Coast wines to customers across the world.

Joe joined the Oregon wine industry in 1996 after leaving Aspen, Colorado where he had managed a fine wine shop for several years. When he arrived in Oregon he made wine at Willamette Valley Vineyards, which included the Griffin Creek and Tualatin Estate labels, for 6 years before becoming winemaker at Belle Vallée Cellars in 2002. There he spent the next 9 years producing and blending Pinot Noir from several of Oregon’s premier vineyards.

In 2011, Joe joined the Left Coast Cellars team in Rickreall, Oregon. Drawn by the diversity of Left Coast’s 356 acre estate, of which 142 are devoted to the cultivation of wine grapes he now carefully crafts exclusively estate-grown Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Viognier and Syrah.

Cali is the middle child of the Pfaff family. Growing up in the foothills of the Rockies, she loved drawing, dancing and her brothers. In her professional life, Cali became a certified landscape architect working for Design Workshop in Colorado before ultimately starting her own practice, Studio Campo, in 2019. When on property at Left Coast, she can be seen dorking out with her father about ornamental grasses, showing her daughter the abundance of natural landscapes, picking flowers for the tasting room or going on long walks in a rain coat.

Christina and Taylor began as high school sweethearts and got married in June of 2016. She worked her first harvest in the lab for 2014 and founded Run for the Oaks in 2016. Run for the Oaks is one of Left Coast’s signature events and raises money to maintain our 100 acres of native Oregon White Oak forest. Christina is a scientist and graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Human Kinetics, a Masters of Science from Portland State University and is currently pursuing a PHD from Oregon State University in Water Resources Engineering. Christina loves spending time in nature running marathons, triathlons, mountain biking and exploring mountainous backcountry wherever she can find it.

Arturo grew up in Guanajuato Mexico on the family ranch. He got an early exposure to agriculture growing beans, corn, peppers, tomatillos, and tomatoes. He came to US in 1995 at the age of 15 in pursuit of the American dream. His first job was at the Noble Mountain Christmas Tree Farm and he entered the wine industry at Erath vineyards in 2004. In 2007 he followed his younger brother Adan to work in the vineyards at Left Coast Estate. Through years of hard work, Arturo worked his up to becoming the Vineyard Manager in 2011. Family is the most important part of Arturo’s life and he appreciates the family atmosphere of working at Left Coast. “We work hard, because we know that we are appreciated and the work we do is important. When I need something, I know that the family (ownership) will always help me.” 

Arturo’s other passion is baseball. He and his brother are on a team and play games every Sunday during the summer season. Arturo plays left field and Adan plays third base. Who’s better? “Well I think he’s better, yea I started too old” Arturo says with a laugh. 

Adan was the first of the Garcia family to come to Left Coast in 2006. He is an incredible equipment operator and can flawlessly drive and maintain anything with an engine. While he would prefer to stay behind the scenes and let his brother do the talking, he is a valued member of our team and a big reason why we have been successful in the vineyards the past two decades.

Jaws was a stray feral cat that was captured by the charity Meow Village to be neutered and re-homed on a farm along with several other feral cats. Jaws came to us with 4 other feral cats and they lived in one of the tractor bays for about a month before we opened up the doors and released them into the world. Being feral cats there was no guarantee that they would stay at the vineyard, but Jaws was special and he immediately recognized our Tasting Room patio as a place where he could thrive. Today he is a majestic good boi who knows how to chill with guests, leading them on tours of the grounds and gladly accepting scratches, pats and other forms of love. Search Jaws the winery cat to give him a review on google. He checks them regularly and purrs with satisfaction upon receiving a 5 star review.

Mike Strouts is the man behind the culinary offerings in our Tasting Room. Mike excels at pairing flavors and creating novel spins on several classic genres and recipes. If you see something on our menu that you’ve never seen before, be sure to give it a try, you won’t be disappointed. Mike also crafts our 45 North culinary experiences utilizing locally grown ingredients that pair beautifully with our wines.

WSET I & II

A Salem Oregon native, Eric loves neature. He’s got a passion for being immersed in the outdoors. Working in the winery and being connected to the land fills Eric’s soul. Left Coast’s focus on conservation, restoration and multigenerational stewardship on the estate resonate with him.

Ben is a veteran of the Oregon wine industry and has worked almost all aspects of winegrowing, but he is most at home in the winery. 2023 marks his 30th vintage and he lives in nearby McMinnville with his family. His passion for winemaking is evident and his eyes light up when he gets to talk about winemaking or operating our 150 hectoliter press.

Shar is an experienced wine professional who moved to Oregon and joined the Left Coast team in late 2022. Shar brought 20+ years of experience with her from working in wine and hospitality space of Minnesota’s twin cities. Shar loves engaging with guests and teaching them about wine. Her energy and thirst for wine knowledge is contagious and she couldn’t be happier to have moved to the heart of the Willamette Valley with her family. She lights up every time a guest from Minnesota walks through our doors.

Bob spends his days working in the gardens and dorking out on ornamental grasses with Cali. His passion for food and gardening manifest themselves in delicious French inspired meals that many of the Left Coast team have been fortunate to enjoy.

Kodiak is always ready for a walk through the vineyards. When he’s not out on patrol, he’s often in the office above the Tasting Room napping or begging for treats. His favorite place at Left Coast is the winery where he can usually find someone to spray the hose for him to chop until he gets the zoomies.

The youngest member of Family Ownership, Mikkel and his cousin Juniper represent the next generation of Left Coast. We hope that the decisions we make today will help build a sustainable future for Mikkel and all the future stakeholders of Left Coast.

The eldest of the next generation of ownership at Left Coast, Juniper loves spending time in the vineyards being immersed in nature with her mother.