DOUG CIRCLE

Doug Circle : Owner

Doug Circle was born and raised in Orange, California.

The agriculture bug hit early. He worked for his Dad’s employer, producers of celery and carrots, from the time he was 10.

He discovered his entrepreneurial spirit when he first grew strawberries as part of a FFA project, at 15. He opened his first roadside stand that same year. Doug gained more experience after high school as a fruit salesman following the crops throughout California, Arizona and Mexico.

He met his wife Jan in 1981, and soon thereafter married and started a family. At that time the couple owned 25 strawberry farm locations, running eight roadside stands. This continued over the next 10-12 years.

With his business partner of 17 years, Doug eventually started what became Sunrise Growers/Frozsun Foods, by rolling several small companies into a $300 million frozen and fresh strawberry operation. Highlights included working with McDonald’s to develop the fast food industry’s first fresh fruit or vegetable offering. He also worked with major cereal companies to introduce the first cereals with freeze dried strawberries.

In 2001, during a winegrape glut, the Mondavi Company put the Sierra Madre Vineyard on the market. The property was presented to Doug by a local broker because it had a 60 acre strawberry operation at the vineyard. Doug purchased the vineyard, and, although still a strawberry farmer, became a serious wine grape grower as well.

Michael Mondavi, a big believer in the Sierra Madre Vineyard, convinced Doug to start his own brand, "If I were in your shoes, I would pursue making the world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that this vineyard is capable of." Being a life-long learner, and a lover of new challenges, Doug saw this as an opportunity to learn through the experienced customers and supporters of this historic vineyard.

When he’s not working, Doug enjoys international travel, salmon fishing, participating in the Young President’s Organization, and building new businesses.

Doug and Jan have three grown children, Kyle, Brendan and Leah – each manages to keep very busy in their own right with college, careers and starting a family, though may join Dad in the wine biz someday.