Wilson Daniels introduces Jonive, a new project by the Underwood Family in the Sebastopol Hills of the Russian River Valley.

he Underwoods are the owners of Young's Holdings, one of America's oldest continuously operated family-owned businesses (founded 1888) and the parent company of Wilson Daniels. Today, the fifth generation of the family take a bold step forward with the founding of Jonive. Inspired to create terroir-driven expressions of Burgundian varieties in northern California, the family has produced an elegant 2021 Estate Pinot Noir and Estate Chardonnay sourced from their Moon Dust Vineyard, planted to 19- to 27-year-old vines in the Sebastopol Hills. 

"I've immensely enjoyed my career on the wholesale side of the wine business, but I've always had this untapped passion and drive to produce fine wine in my home state of California," said Chris Underwood, proprietor of Jonive and CEO of Young's Holdings. "When the opportunity presented itself to purchase the 18-acre Moon Dust Vineyard in 2021, my family and I sensed its potential to produce world-class pinot noir and chardonnay, and decided this would be our avenue into making wine. Partnering with acclaimed winemaker Vance Rose, both wines are deeply reflective of the terroir with its rare Goldridge soils. We couldn't be more thrilled to present the 2021 vintage to the market."

Jonive takes its name from the original 1845 California land grant titled Rancho Cañada de Jonive.