STORRS WINERY & VINEYARDS

What STORRS WINERY & VINEYARDS does

STORRS WINERY & VINEYARDS is a family-owned, direct-to-consumer winery founded in 1988 by UC Davis-trained winemakers Stephen Storrs and Pamela Bianchini-Storrs, producing handcrafted wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. The company operates a 60-acre estate vineyard (Hidden Springs) in the Pleasant Valley district of Corralitos, planted to five Pinot Noir and two Chardonnay clones and certified organic by CCOF, with additional fruit sourced from Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey, and San Francisco Bay appellations. Production is anchored by an eco-friendly winery facility built on a former quarry site (opened 2018) featuring R-100 walls, R-60 roof, and natural cooling via cold mountain night air, eliminating conventional refrigeration load.

The business sells exclusively through two owned tasting rooms (Winery @ the Quarry in Aptos/Corralitos and the Old Sash Mill in Santa Cruz), an Orderport-powered online store, and a tiered Vin Express wine club shipping 4, 6, or 12 bottles quarterly at $130-$450 per shipment. Revenue is augmented by an events program including vineyard tours, sailing tasting experiences with O'Neill and Chardonnay II charters, paella parties ($90-$105), bluebird-house workshops ($40-$60), AmaWaterways river cruises, and library tastings spanning 35+ years of vintages. Customers are individual wine enthusiasts and gift-givers; no wholesale, distributor, or enterprise accounts are disclosed. Differentiators include Burgundian-varietal focus, estate organic/biodynamic farming, sustainable operations (babydoll Southdown sheep, hedgerows, NRCS partnership), and a sustained record of Best of Show and Double-Gold medals at California State Fair, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Sunset International Wine Competition, and International Rosé Competition from 2023 through 2026.

Name

STORRS WINERY & VINEYARDS

Legal name

STORRS WINERY & VINEYARDS

Website

https://storrswine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Family-owned Santa Cruz Mountains winery founded 1988 by Stephen and Pamela Storrs, producing handcrafted estate and appellation wines sold exclusively direct-to-consumer via two tasting rooms, online store, and the Vin Express wine club.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winery

NAICS

Wineries (31213), Grape Vineyards (111332), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF)

Keywords

• Handcrafted wine production
• Estate vineyard wines
• Santa cruz mountains
• Wine club memberships
• Winery tasting experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Aptos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: Retail sales of wines through two tasting rooms and online store. Includes estate wines from Hidden Springs vineyard, and wines sourced from Santa Cruz Mountains, San Francisco Bay, and Monterey appellations.
2. Wine Club (Vin Express): Quarterly wine shipments with tiered membership (4-bottle, 6-bottle, and case club options). Members receive discounts, complimentary tastings, first access to new releases, and invitations to special events.
3. Events and Experiences: Paid ticketed events including vineyard tours, bluebird house workshops, sailing experiences, wine dinners, paella parties, and library tastings. Additional revenue from wine pairing experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Storrs Winery & Vineyards is a family-owned producer of handcrafted, terroir-driven wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, focusing on Burgundian varietals (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) alongside Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling. The winery sells direct-to-consumer through two tasting rooms (Winery @ the Quarry in Aptos/Corralitos and Tasting Room @ the Old Sash Mill in Santa Cruz), an e-commerce site, the Vin Express wine club with quarterly shipments, and a calendar of paid tasting events including sailing experiences, vineyard tours, wine dinners, and workshops.

Product overview

STORRS WINERY & VINEYARDS is a family-owned winery producing handcrafted wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Their product portfolio centers on premium wines including White Wines (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling), Rosé Wines, Red Wines (Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bordeaux blends), and Estate Wines from their organic Hidden Springs vineyard. The winery complements its wine sales with a Vin Express Wine Club membership program offering tiered shipments (4, 6, or 12 bottles) with benefits including complimentary tastings and member discounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hidden Springs: Organic estate vineyard located on the west-facing slopes of Mount Madonna, home to five clones of Pinot Noir, two clones of Chardonnay, and a flock of babydoll Southdown sheep. Produces terroir-driven estate wines.
• Vin Express
• Winery @ the Quarry
• Tasting Room @ the Old Sash Mill

Products and services

• 2024 Wildcat Ridge Chardonnay Rich and buttery Chardonnay with bright notes of mountain pear and Fuji apple from Pleasant Valley, sold to wine enthusiasts through tasting rooms and online store.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)minorOthersPartnered with NRCS during vineyard development to grade land for water runoff control and erosion prevention, and to design groundwater recharge pond based on UCSC research.
• Wildfarm AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplements wildlife-friendly farming practices including hedgerows, native grass filter strips, and wildflowers to encourage beneficial insects and pollinators.
• Community Alliance with Family FarmerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on sustainable agriculture initiatives and farming practices supporting small family farmers.
• Wildlife Conservation Board of CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks on wildlife conservation initiatives including salmon habitat protection in nearby riparian corridor.
• O'Neill Sailing CharterscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for sailing wine tasting experiences aboard the O'Neill Catamaran on Monterey Bay. Multiple sail dates throughout 2025-2026.
• Chardonnay II Sailing CharterscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for sailing wine tasting experiences aboard the racing Santa Cruz 70 catamaran. Multiple sail dates throughout 2021-2026.
• Wines of the Santa Cruz MountainsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional industry association hosting events including Terroir In A Glass and A Perfect Pair culinary showcase.
• Cabrillo College Culinary ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual culinary and wine showcase where students design dishes to pair with Storrs wines and compete for best pairing.
• Richard Donnelly Fine ChocolatesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChocolate partner for Mother's Day and special tasting events, creating chocolate-wine pairings.
• AmaWaterwaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRiver cruise partner for Douro River Portugal cruise (August 2025) and Colors of Provence Rhône River Cruise (March 2023). Steve and Pamela Storrs lead tastings and discussions aboard the AmaDouro and AmaKristina vessels.
• Travel by CocominorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel agency partner organizing the Douro River cruise experience and handling reservations.
• Corralitos SausageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal food partner providing catering for events including harvest party.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Wine.com: Leading online wine retailer offering broad portfolio DTC shipping. Not a peer in production but is a relevant channel/ecosystem participant; Storrs wines compete for direct-to-consumer attention and shelf placement against Wine.com's aggregated catalog.

Direct peers

• Testarossa Winery: California producer of premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with strong DTC wine club and tasting room experience in Los Gatos. Comparable in DTC-heavy model, Burgundian varietal focus, and wine-club-driven recurring revenue.
• Ridge Vineyards: Iconic Santa Cruz Mountains and Sonoma County winery focused on terroir-driven, single-vineyard wines including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from estate and sourced vineyards. Most directly comparable in appellation, varietal focus, and DTC-plus-restaurant distribution model.
• Silver Mountain Vineyards: Family-owned Santa Cruz Mountains estate winery focused on organic and biodynamic Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet. Comparable in organic estate viticulture, small-scale DTC operations, and cool-climate Burgundian varietal focus.
• Bargetto Winery: Long-established family-owned Santa Cruz Mountains winery with estate vineyards, tasting room, and DTC wine club operations. Comparable in scale, family ownership, regional appellation focus, and direct-to-consumer GTM.
• Mount Eden Vineyards: Boutique estate winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains specializing in limited-production Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet from a single estate vineyard. Comparable in estate-only Burgundian varietal focus and premium DTC positioning.
• Bonny Doon Vineyard: Santa Cruz-based winery known for Rhône varietals, distinctive branding, and founder-led idiosyncratic style. Comparable as a small, founder-driven, terroir-focused Santa Cruz County producer with a tasting room presence.

Emerging players

• Iron Horse Vineyards: Family-owned Green Valley/Sonoma County winery focused on sparkling and Chardonnay/Pinot Noir production. Comparable in family ownership, cool-climate Burgundian varietal focus, estate-grown positioning, and DTC tasting room model.

Broad incumbents

• La Crema Winery: Mid-sized California producer specializing in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from cool-climate AVAs including Sonoma and Monterey. Comparable in varietal focus and California cool-climate sourcing, though operating at significantly larger scale across wholesale and DTC channels.
• Domaine Chandon: Major California sparkling wine producer in Yolo County and a Ygdp of LVMH. Comparable because Storrs' co-founders consulted at Domaine Chandon prior to founding; broadly comparable in California winery production scale and DTC tasting room experience, though much larger and broader in portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights3 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/storrswine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/storrs-winery

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about STORRS WINERY & VINEYARDS