Jack Niven And Jim Efird Establish Paragon Vineyards: This Pairing Brought Fame And Fortune To The Edna Valley

The Impact Of The Niven Family & Paragon Vineyards On The Wine History Of San Luis Obispo County

• Researched new possibilities for investment in agriculture, advised by professors at UC Davis, Fresno State, and CalPoly in 1969. Advised to plant wine grapes and new vineyards because of the increase in wine consumption projected in California.
• The questions were about what grape varieties to plant and where to plant them. The Nivens focused on European red and white varieties, including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The terroir,  science, and soil, based on expert advice, narrowed the options to the Edna Valley.
• Formed the first corporate entity, Paragon Vineyard Co., focused on wine grape growing in Edna Valley.
• Planted the second commercial vineyard in the Edna Valley eight weeks after Norman Goss in April 1973. It was planted in the soil of an old garbanzo bean farm. The soil was filled with calcium, which ties up nutrients and forces the vines to put all of their energy into the fruit.
• Hired a recent graduate at Fresno State, Jim Efird, who studied Agricultural Economics, plant science, soil, and irrigation, to manage the Paragon vineyard in 1973.
• Jim Efird became a major mentor to growers in the Edna Valley for the next 40 years.
• Solved the problems interfering with irrigation in the hillside vineyards; Jim Efird was sent abroad to study drip irrigation in Israel and South Africa. Jim presented his research with recommendations. Jack Niven installed the largest drip irrigation system in the United States in 1975. Windmills were also installed to modify the air temperatures.
• Formed the first vineyard management company in South San Luis Obispo County in 1988 with Jim Efird as a partner, known as Pacific Vineyard Management.
• The first harvest of Paragon Vineyards in 1977 produced remarkable quality  Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Jim Efird found the buyers for the 1977 harvest at small, high-quality wineries.
• These Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were highly notable as winemaking proceeded at these small wineries. The reviews were high, and word spread quickly, creating future demand for Edna Valley grapes.
• The 1977 Vintages of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were the first to identify the area of origin on their labels as the Edna Valley.
• The Paragon Vineyard Co. sold the majority of their grapes to Chalone Winery in 1978. Chalone had won awards at the blind tasting in Paris in 1976, which brought worldwide attention to California wines and the Edna Valley.
• Paragon Vineyard Co. and Chalone developed a partnership that elevated the status of the Edna Valley throughout the world – The Edna Valley Vineyard. It was a unique partnership composed of a petite vineyard, the large Paragon Vineyard, state-of-the-art facilities for winemaking designed and built by Chalone Winery, and a distribution system for marketing the wines.
• Planted 650 acres of Paragon vineyard with primarily Chardonnay and Pinot Noir by 1980.
• In 1980, after years of research, Jack submitted a petition for the Edna Valley  AVA. The petition was granted in 1982. Edna Valley was the first AVA granted in San Luis Obispo County.
• Hired Gary Mosby as winemaker to make Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Burgundian style in 1980. The 1978 and 1979 wines were made at nearby Corbett Canyon. Gary also made wines for Catharine Niven.
• Edna Valley Chardonnay’s notoriety grew both nationally and internationally through three competitive blind tastings of French and California wines in 1982, in San Francisco, Houston, and Dallas. This was the successor event to the Judgment of Paris in 1976. Out of the eight Chardonnays tasted in the blind flight, the 1980 Edna Valley Vineyard Chardonnay from Paragon Vineyard and the 1979 Trefethen from Napa Valley tied. The Edna Valley Chardonnay was described as golden, straw colored, and dry but rich-flavored with lots of wood aging coming through the nose. It is clean and crisp with butterfly overtones in the style of many California Chardonnays. Its price is $12, number one, and an excellent value.
• Chalone and Paragon Vineyard created a private label Chardonnay for wine stores in Northern and Southern California. It was labeled Chaparral for the local native flowers that bloom in the Edna Valley. The Chaparral Chardonnay received much praise from wine critics.
• In 1983, Edna Valley Vineyard encouraged winemakers at Claiborne and Churchill to use Edna Valley Winery to make their own Alsace wines, including Gewürztraminer. This launched the winery, Claiborne and Churchill, which is still producing wines today, 43 years later. This is an example of one of the many ways that Catharine and Jack Niven supported local winemakers.
• Catharine Niven is the first woman to plant her own vineyard and produce Chardonnay in the Edna Valley under her own label, Tiffany Hill, in 1988. She started in her mid-sixties. She marketed her wines to restaurants successfully by making phone calls to restaurant owners and friends. Catharine received a cease-and-desist order from the famous jewelers in New York City to stop using the name Tiffany Hill. She changed the name to Baileyana in 1989, a label that would become very important in the history of Paragon Vineyard Co. and the development of future labels.
• The Niven family is a multi-generational farming and wine-producing family founded in 1972 and run by three generations. The company was sold in 2020. John Niven, Jack Niven’s grandson, continues to make wine under his own label, Cadre Wines, on the Central Coast. He specializes in cool climate aromatic white wines, including Sauvignon, Grüner, Veltliner, and Albariño. You can reach him at cadrewines.com.

The Introduction

The story of the Niven family is one of the most important stories impacting the wine history of San Luis Obispo County. The Niven family approached grape growing scientifically, and with experience in their own grocery chain business that exposed them to the challenges in farming and agriculture. They established their Paragon Vineyards to grow grapes but it was the partnership with Chalone Vineyard that catapulted their second harvest into the public eye as the source of premium grapes grown in the Edna Valley. Edna Valley became known for its growing season, stretching from February to November, as the location of the longest growing season in California. 

This cool-climate terroir shaped the premium grapes that were, and still are, used to make some of the most famous wines in San Luis Obispo County and California. 

The Nivens assembled remarkable teams that were assembled to manage the vineyards, headed by Jim Efird.  The winemakers and assistants in the Edna Valley Vineyard and later at the Paragon wine facilities were also extraordinary. You will find a brief description of the three winemakers, Gary Mosby, Christian Rogoenant, and Rob Takigawa on the last pages of our story below.

Catharine Niven was fearless and energetic. At age 65, she was supervising the planting of her own vineyards, and within three years, she was producing sparkling wine. It was her influence on her family that led to Baileyana Label and six others producing wines from their own grapes that became favorites of almost everyone who visited the beautiful tasting room in the Old Independence one-room schoolhouse. 

The mentoring skills of Jack and Catharina not only encouraged their own sons and grandsons to continue working in the business, but they also inspired other young growers and winemakers of all ages to experiment and support one another in growing, winemaking, marketing, and sharing their own wines. They helped build a strong wine association and marketing plan for introducing more visitors to their tasting rooms.

The First Generation John W. Niven And Purity Markets

The Purity Grocery Store chain was established in San Francisco in 1925  by John W. Niven. Over 100 years ago, Mom and Pop markets, as these small neighborhood businesses were known, were gradually replaced with a new idea in providing people with a large number of foods and household products at one bright new location.  John W. Niven was a leader in this new shopping experience in buildings known as grocery stores. He decided to build individual stores with modern architectural designs surrounded by parking lots for automobiles at each location to serve growing communities. The grocery store chain gradually grew to 135 stores by the mid-1950s, ranging from locations in Eureka near the Northern California border to San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast. The Purity Markets’ interior designs featured wide aisles, modern lighting, and beautiful displays for the shopper.  By the 1940s, the Quonset Hut-shaped arch identified the building as a Purity Market.  In 1955, the Purity Grocery chain went public, and John retired, replaced by his son Jack as company president. In the 1960s, a more modern prototype was added on the roof, a four-sided glass skylight with intersecting rounded rooflines. 

 Purity Market 1960s

However, it was the inside of each market that customers enjoyed. The varieties of produce and meats were fresh. The displays were attractive and food to go to for the working mothers and fathers to pick up on their way home were popular. The Niven family markets added a NEW chapter to California wine and food history. They were among the first to sell wines at local grocery stores in California. The Gallo and Sebastiani labels were two California brands featured. Wines were conveniently available on a daily basis and were soon part of the local dining experience. 

However, 35 years later, new ideas, community planning, and designs challenged the concept of individual market locations. In the 1960s, the development of shopping centers with multiple stores at one location, surrounded by a large parking lot, created enormous competition for the individual free-standing markets, including the Purity Grocery Store locations. CEO Jack Niven began selling the markets, one by one.  In 1972, only 23 stores remained, and the Niven family sold out to a new corporation. 

The Next Generation: Jack and Catharine Niven
Founders of Paragon Vineyard Company

Jack and his wife, Catharine, began researching new investment options.

Economists were predicting a boom in wine consumption in the United States in the 1970s. Adults were eating out in attractive restaurants more often, enjoying “gourmet” cuisine. They were drinking cocktails and discovering European wines such as Chianti to pair with Italian food. People were also exploring new careers and abandoning their old ones. The idea of  “back to the land” began to appeal to many people, including those who had attended college in the 1970s. Starting in the mid-1960s, substantial numbers of people began to migrate from the cities to rural areas. In California, many moved to the Central Coast, Napa, and Sonoma, seeking a place in the California Wine Revolution. They were advised as growers to plant grape varieties that matched the consumption patterns developing in Europe in the early 1970s. Restaurant owners had also noted the growing interest in wine and a trend to favor white wines over red varieties. 

The Nivens recognized their own opportunity in agriculture to grow grapes for small wineries and winemakers who were experimenting with European varieties that began to flourish as the California Wine Revolution took off. Growers began to look at clones grown in Europe to graft on rootstock in their own California vineyards.

Jack and Catharine hired industry professionals in 1969 to guide them in establishing a new grape-growing business in a new area that was still undiscovered at the time. Jack hired two well-known professors, Albert Winkler at the UC Davis Campus of the University of California and Vincent Petrucci at Fresno State College, to identify new wine-growing areas on the Central Coast. Based on their advice, Jack and Catharine selected the Edna Valley, well known for dairy farming and dry-farmed garbanzo bean fields.

San Luis Obispo County, located on the Central Coast, had also been studied for some time by the viticulture staff at California Polytechnic University. Jack and Catharine met with the County Agricultural Advisor, Jack Foote.  Jack Foote, who had planted an experimental vineyard in 1968 with four varieties of grapes on the eastern hillside of the Edna Valley on property owned by the Righetti family, one of the largest growers of avocados in California. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were growing successfully in this experimental vineyard. When Jack Foote harvested all four varieties in 1972,  the grapes were driven to UC Davis to be crushed, fermented, and aged by the Department of Viticulture and Enology. The results were impressive. The staff agreed on the quality of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They all agreed that the cultivation of grapes in the Edna Valley was worth pursuing.

The Central Coast

Jack and Catharine purchased acreage in four areas of California’s Central Coast: the Soledad flatlands of Monterey County, River Road at the Lucia Highlands bench above Salinas County, Riverbench Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, and in the Edna Valley in San Luis Obispo County for a total of 1300 acres. Pioneers Norman Goss and Jack Niven both planted vineyards in the Edna Valley in 1973. They were the first to plant commercial wine grapes on this land. The early Spanish settlers planted their vineyards in the early 1800s in what is now the city of San Luis Obispo, adjacent to the Mission. In the 1900s, the Edna Valley farmers were famous for dry-farming garbanzo beans and avocados, raising horses, and tending dairy farms.

The unique environment of the Edna Valley today is described as a cool-climate wine region in San Luis Obispo County with fog draping gracefully over ancient volcanic peaks and vineyards producing world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. The Edna Valley is located within five and a half miles of the Pacific Ocean and is a 10-minute drive by car from the city of San Luis Obispo. 

The structure of his new company, Paragon Vineyard Co., was carefully planned and staffed by Jack Niven. He hired Jim Efird, a recent graduate of Fresno State, as his vineyardist. Jim had studied agricultural economics at Fresno State. He also had enrolled in practical classes such as viticulture, soils, and irrigation management. Drip irrigation was just being introduced in the plant science division of Fresno State College, and this knowledge would be key to Jim’s success as a vineyardist in the Edna Valley. Jim graduated with a new generation of viticulturalists who focused on science and the professional management of vineyards. 

Jim Efird – The Shotgun Approach

Jim started working on April 1,1973 for Jack Niven, preparing to plant 547 acres of Paragon vineyard the following week. He planted over half the vines in white grape varieties, including Chardonnay, White Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and Chenin Blanc. 160 acres were planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Gamey Beaujolais, Semillon, and Merlot. Jim later described the layout of the vineyard as a “shot gun approach.” He meant it was a leap of faith for both Norman Goss, owner of Chamisal Vineyard, and Jack Niven, to plant vines as the pioneers in the Edna Valley. Both men were influenced by winelovers who enjoyed European wines; Jack was selecting the grape varieties to plant based on what people were drinking because no one had farmed any of these varieties in the Edna Valley before 1973. Within a few years, it became clear that the cool climate terroir favored Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc. It was far too cool for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Zinfandel.

One of the first challenges Jim Efird faced in the 1970s was irrigation. The vineyards were planted on rolling hillsides. No one in the United States had yet specialized in irrigation systems focused on water pressure. Jack decided to look at systems developed in two other countries: Israel and South Africa. He sent Jim Efird to these countries to study drip irrigation, which had been perfected in both countries. Jim’s research resulted in the installation of the largest single domestic hillside installation in America at Paragon Vineyards in 1975. Windmills were used to modify the air temperature.

World Class Grapes – The 1977 Harvest Sold To Small Wine Producers

The first harvest in 1977 provided world-class grapes, but the challenge was – how do we sell them? There were no winemakers in the Edna Valley and no facilities developed for crushing grapes or making wine. Jim Efird developed a marketing plan. He met with small high-quality wine producers in Napa, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma counties and met with success. The grapes grown in the Edna Valley were purchased by David Bruce, Roudon-Smith, Ahern, Leeward, Glen Ellen, and Felton-Empire Wineries. The 1977 vintage was the first label to list the Edna Valley as the place of origin for these grapes. The wines made with the Paragon Vineyard Chardonnay were well received. The following year, pioneers Norman Goss and Jack Niven joined forces to market the Chardonnay grapes of Edna Valley to attract large producers and wineries to purchase grapes from the Edna Valley.

Gary Mosby, Jack Niven And Jim Efird

 Chalone Vineyard Meets Jack Niven – 1977

Another important and life-changing event occurred in 1977. Dick Graff and Phil Woodward, the founders of the Chalone Vineyard in Monterey County, were introduced to Jack Niven. Their Chalone 1974 Chardonnay made history in the blind tastings in Paris in 1976. Link to Cindy’s article about the Blind Tasting of 1976, The Paris Tasting’s impact brought an introduction to the superb wines made in California. The media shone the spotlight on these wines, and demand for them increased dramatically. However, Chalone did not have enough grapes in their own vineyards to make enough wine to meet the public demand. A drought in Monterey County has reduced the yield during the last two harvests. Chalone had a large new production facility to fill, and it needed to purchase additional high-quality fruit. Dick Graff began buying Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from Paragon Vineyards. This led to the partnership in 1977 between Paragon Vineyards and Chalone. The partners had compatible talents. Paragon grew premium grapes in the Edna Valley, and Chalone made outstanding wine and had developed a marketing and distribution network. The owners of Chalone and Jack Niven decided to co-found the Edna Valley Winery. Chalone built a new facility almost identical to their winery in Monterey County.

Wine was produced under the Edna Valley label in 1979 and 1980 at Corbett Canyon winery, also located in the Edna Valley. The Edna Valley winemaking facility was completed in 1981. The partners recognized the potential in creating their own Edna Valley label and using the structure already established by Chalone to market their wines. The partnership was based on each partner contributing what they did best. Paragon Vineyard supplied the grapes to produce about 80,000 cases of Edna Valley Chardonnay and 1,000 cases of Pinot Noir each year. and provide its name to the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir labels. Chalone would make the wine, age and bottle it. Chalone would also use their distribution channels to sell the wines across the United States. 

The Edna Valley Vineyard, located in the Edna Valley AVA, became a very successful winery and region for these Burgundian varieties. Many years later, the partnership ended. Chalone sold their portion of the partnership to Diageo. Gallo purchased the winery partnership in 2011. The Niven family continued its outright ownership of the Paragon Vineyard for the next ten years.

The First AVA In San Luis Obispo County – 1982

Jack Niven put forth a petition to establish the Edna Valley as an American viticultural area on September 11, 1980, to become the first official AVA in San Luis Obispo County. Jack worked with other growers in the Edna Valley to recognize the potential of this unique region, including wine growers Norman Goss of Chamisal Vineyards, Jim Lawrence of Lawrence Winery, and Andy MacGregor of  MacGregor Vineyards. He reached out to wine consultant Andre Tchelistcheff for guidance on the process and received this reply: 

In my long-lasting career as a consulting enologist…I have had the opportunity to observe and study the performance of the Edna Valley vineyards during the last several years, from 1975 to 1980. The ecological complex of the valley soil, microclimate, and the productivity is directly and strongly reflected in the individual qualitative structure of the wines produced exclusively from grapes grown within the boundaries of this specific viticultural area. 

Jack researched and determined the boundaries, described the terroir and geography of the Edna Valley. Joining Niven to help prepare documents and to collect information for the AVA Petition were growers Norman Goss of Chamisal Vineyards, Jim Lawrence of Lawrence Winery and Andy MacGregor of MacGregor Vineyards. The Edna Valley stretches along the Santa Lucia Mountain

Range to the northeast and a low hilly complex paralleling Tiffany Road to the southeast. Jack organized all the documents necessary to submit the petition. He selected the name from local history and the Old Edna Townsite, which was settled in the early 1800s. The townsite property has a history that can be traced back to the 1840s, when it was part of a Mexican land grant awarded to Jose Maria Villavicencia. The buildings of some of the early settlers are still standing and have been carefully preserved by local winemakers. 

The application was approved in 1982, celebrating the Edna Valley. The exceptionally long growing season begins with bud break in February and harvest lasts through November. It is the coldest AVA in California. The Edna Valley was the tenth AVA to be established in 1982. Years later, Jack mentored Brian Talley and his family by recommending they petition for an AVA in the Arroyo Grande Valley, where their vineyard and farms are located.

The Pacific Vineyard Company  – 1988

In 1988, Jack Niven and Jim Efird decided to establish a separate entity, Pacific Vineyard Company, to manage the Paragon Vineyard, the Edna Valley Vineyard, and several others growing premium grapes. Jim Efird retired in 2004, replaced by George Donati. Paragon Vineyard continued to grow in size by purchasing the adjacent land from neighbors. The original management company is now known as Pacific Coast Farming; it continues to manage 1,600 acres of vineyards, focusing on sustainable and organic farming practices in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Jim Efird was a mentor to many vineyard owners and their workers, as well as Cal Poly students on the Central Coast for 40 years. 

Celebrating Viticultural Pioneer Jim Efird

Jim Efird is celebrated today as a viticulture pioneer for planting most of the vineyard in the Edna Valley over the last 30 years. Jim’s first job with Jack Niven started on April 1st, 1973. Over the years, he formed strong relationships with people like Bob Schiebelhut, a local lawyer, who wanted to grow grapes. In the 1990s, Jim worked with Bob Schiebelhut to plant a 720-acre vineyard in the Edna Valley, now known as the Edna Ranch. As small growers searched for ways to crush grapes and make their own wine, Jim and Bob built the largest custom crush production facility in the area, known as Courtside Cellars, in 1998. This facility provided affordable resources for small wineries in the area. Jim and Bob also owned San Miguel Courtside Cellars, a 300,000 square foot crush facility in the northern county of San Luis Obispo. Both men became partners in the Tolosa Winery and tasting room in Edna Valley in 1998.  In an unusual farming event, Jim and his partners are also famous for planting a solar system just behind the local San Luis Obispo County airport around 2010. The solar system with over 2,500 panels produces all the electricity needed to run the Tolosa winery. 

Jim has also worked as a volunteer for non-profit organizations in the county. He has made history, and he appreciates the importance of preserving local history. Jim prepared the site, planted, and successfully grew the first Heritage Mission Grape Vineyard in San Luis Obispo County. He worked with Libbie Agran, Director of the Wine History Project, who collected Mission grapevine cuttings from the original vines at the San Gabriel Mission. These plants were originally brought to the Pacific Coast from Spain by the Spanish padres in the late 1700s. With the help of many others, including members of the Cal Poly Viticulture Department and the Pacific Vineyard Company, the cuttings were grafted onto their own rootstock. Jim and his grandson planted the vineyard at the Dana Adobe, in Nipomo, one of the oldest and best-preserved adobe buildings in California. The vineyard is surrounded by a stone wall filled with local ancient fossils. The vineyard has a seating area for events and celebrations at the adobe. It is open to the public.

Catharine Headly Niven – First Woman Grower In The Edna Valley – 1985

Catharine, wife of Jack Niven, was the first woman in San Luis Obispo County to plant her own vineyard and to make wine under her own label, Tiffany Hill. She selected Chardonnay vines to be planted in the rocky 3 ½ acre vineyard in her front yard, located on Tiffany Ranch Road. The Niven family had no interest in making wine and selling it, but Catharine persisted. She worked with winemaker Gary Mosby to make Sparkling wine and Chardonnay in the Burgundian style. Her first vintage was bottled in 1988. She designed a beautiful Art Nouveau wine label and her marketing plan. She called restaurant owners, wine shops, and chefs in California and Hawaii to sell her wine and did so successfully. Things were going very smoothly until the Tiffany Hill label caught the attention of the CEO at the famous Tiffany & Co in New York.  A “Cease and Desist” notice was filed, and discussions ensued with Catharine insisting that she had a right to use the name, which was the street and hill on which her vineyard was located.

The resolution of the lawsuit led to a change in the name of her new label to Baileyana, named for the street where her husband lived as a child. Her 1989 vintage featured the new label. Catharine’s devotion to her brand changed the vision of the Paragon Vineyard Co., although not immediately. The family decided to produce their own wines under the Baileyana label. They opened a tasting room in the Historic Independence One Room Schoolhouse, which was moved to a new site at 5828 Orcutt Road in the Edna Valley.

Sustainability Practice And Certification 2008

The Central Coast Vineyard Team introduced a program for Sustainability in Practice. Paragon Vineyard participated as a pilot vineyard. They were one of the first to be awarded Sustainability in PracticeTM (SIPTM) Vineyard Certification.

The Fortieth Anniversary – 2013

Paragon Vineyard celebrated their 40th Anniversary in 2013 as the “oldest continually producing vineyard in the Edna Valley”. The focus was on multi-generational management. Jack and Catharine Niven purchased their property in 1972. The Paragon Vineyard was planned by their vineyard manager, Jim Eiford, in April 1973. In the first decade, Jack applied and obtained the first AVA in San Luis Obispo County and established the Edna Valley Vineyard in partnership with the owners of Chalone Vineyard, which brought attention and acclaim to Edna Valley as a major grape growing and wine making area. This partnership developed the first label featuring the Edna Valley and provided private-label Chardonnay for wine shipments throughout California.

Over time, additional holdings were acquired as the family focused on keeping consumers interested in the ever-changing world of wine, sustainability, quality, community, and traditions, both past and present. The holdings in 2013 included Orcutt Road Cellars, Pacific Vineyard Company, Paragon Vineyard, Firepeak Vineyard, and Niven Family Wine Estates.

In 2013, it was announced that in keeping with Jack Niven’s pioneering spirit, Paragon leads the field of research and exploration of cool climate white grape varieties in the 1200-acre vineyard. Ten carefully chosen varieties are planted: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Grüner, Veltliner, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Grenache Blanc, Riesling, and Syrah. Some of this fruit was sold to award-winning wineries, but the majority of grapes were selected by veteran Burgundian winemaker Christian Roguenant. Paragon produced six innovative labels in 2013. Roguenant was making 20 distinct wines for these labels. The Niven Family Wine Estates labels included Baileyana, Tangent Winery, Zocker Winery, Cadre Vineyards, Trenza Winery, and True Myth Winery.

Winemakers:

Gary Mosby was hired in 1980 as the first winemaker for Edna Valley Vineyard. Gary graduated from the University of California at Davis and worked for his parents at Vega Vineyards. After graduation, he worked for Sterling Vineyards, Almaden Winery, and Chalone Vineyard.

Christian Roguenant was born in Beaune in the heart of Burgundy, France, in August 1959. His passion was winemaking; early in his career, he was trained in the Champagne Region in the traditional French methods. His career, which started in France, spread over five continents. His passion for crafting sparkling wine started at Champagne Deutz in France. He brought his passion to South County to Maison Deutz in Arroyo Grande. His employers, five Frenchmen who formed a partnership called Pressoir-Deutz, hired him to make méthode champenoise sparkling wines in the French tradition using the 4.4-ton traditional champagne basket press. The winery, located in Arroyo Grande, not far from the ocean, seemed an unlikely place to produce his favorite wines. However, the cool climate proved to be the perfect place for the grapes and winery to thrive.

In 1986, Christian immigrated from France to make “bubbles” in this new winery, Maison Deutz (now known as Laetitia). He became one of the region’s most admired and influential winemakers.  As journalist Matt Kettman describes, “Christian Roguenant revealed that the region’s cold climate could indeed make bubbles to baffle the world’s best. This was eventually embraced by wineries from the Sta Rita Hills to the Carmel Coast.” When asked about wines he was proud of, he talked of the Sparkling Wine he crafted for the 1988 Olympics hosted by Korea. Christian was a highly skilled winemaker, a teacher, a mentor, and an innovator at Baileyana, crafting wines that were highly enjoyed and appreciated. He worked there for at least a decade before moving on to other ventures. Unfortunately, Christian died unexpectedly on November 2, 2025.

He is survived by his wife Lois and his son, the light of his life.

Christian was the first winemaker for the Niven Family Wine Estates, hired when they decided to produce their own wines under the Baileyana label. Baileyana wines are named for a tree that grows on the Central Coast, the Acacia Baileyana tree.

Watch for his complete biography in the coming months.

Rob Takigawa worked for the Niven Family Wine Estates, starting as the Tank Room Manager and working up to Assistant Winemaker, Winemaker, and ultimately Director of Winemaking. In 2021, Rob celebrated his 20th vintage of working with fruit from the estate Paragon Vineyard. You name it, he has seen it with each vintage, furthering his knowledge of the nuances of the Edna Valley. Fruit from the Paragon Vineyard is no doubt unique and quite different from most of California’s growing regions. Rob and his team captured this by showcasing dynamic styles of wines displayed over the numerous varieties grown on our estate. A native of the Central Coast, Rob is a graduate of CalPoly with a Soil Science Degree. After first understanding the science side of wine, Rob went into the winemaking side in 1997. From there, he never looked back. When not making wine, Rob enjoys surfing, traveling with his family, and coaching his children’s sports teams.

Conclusion

Jack and Catharine were generous people who supported the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande growers and winemakers. They brought resources to support the Central Coast Wine Classic, established the Edna Valley AVA, encouraged the formation of wine clubs, wine festivals, and the local wine association to promote Edna Valley wines. They contributed to the local lifestyle and food history by hosting dinners cooked by professional chefs who paired their foods with wines with style and grace. Catharine was known for her beautiful table settings and flowers. They always had time for friends, growers, and winemakers.

Both Jack and Catharine died in the 1990s. Jack in 1995. Catharine in 1999. 

Members of the second and third generations of the Niven’s wine industry family have joined the family business. Jack’s two sons, James and John R. Niven, represent the second generation, and cousins John H. Niven and Michael Blaney represent the third generation commitment to the family legacy. As James Niven expressed. “My father’s vision was to build a thriving business that would sustain itself and be passed down the line as our family grows. We are proud to be part of it and to foster it moving forward.”

Paragon Vineyard and the holdings were sold in 2020. However, grandson John H. Niven, who has devoted over 25 years to white wines, the Edna Valley, and the San Luis Obispo Coast, has his own vineyard and is producing fresh, mineral-driven white wines.  John helped bring Albariño and Grüner Veltliner to prominence in California in the early 2000s. John and his wife Lucy, inspired by the Niven family legacy, are devoted to white wines. Their winery, Cadre Wines, is where they explore the full potential of cool-climate wines, including Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, and Albariño. Wine Enthusiast Magazine calls the early results stunning. The legacy continues…..

Sources: 

Interviews with Jim Efird

Interviews with Archie McLaren

Interview with John R. Niven

Interviews with John H. Niven and Michael Blaney

Interview with Christian Roguenant, winemaker

Interview with Tim Lloyd, sculptor

Interview with Nancy Greenough, owner of Saucelito Canyon

Interviews with Archie McLaren, co-founder of the Central Coast Wine Classic

Central Coast Wine Classic Catalogs

Interviews with Heather Muran

Interview with Rosemary Talley

Interview with Brian Talley

Petition for Edna Valley AVA 1980.

A Companion to California Wine, An Encyclopedia of Wine and Winemaking by Charles L. Sullivan, Regents of the University of California 1998.

California Wineries – a Photographic Profile – San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura by Vicki Leon, Blake Publishing, 1986.

Harvest Celebration Materials, November 1991, First Annual Celebration.