1966:  Andy Beckstoffer, a native of Richmond Virginia, graduates with an MBA from Dartmouth College and joins Heublein Inc. to become Director of Corporate Acquisitions Strategies.  He advises Heublein to enter the super-premium wine segment of the California wine industry and is instrumental in its purchase of Beaulieu Vineyards and United Vintners, owners of Inglenook and Italian Swiss Colony wines.

The Hartford Times, August 1968

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1969: The Beckstoffer family moves to California.

The Beckstoffer Family (from left to right) Tuck, David, Andy, Stephen, Betty, Kristin and Dana Beckstoffer.

1973: Beckstoffer purchases Vinifera Development Corporation, assuming ownership of Melrose Vineyard and the lease of Carneros Creek Vineyards in the Napa Valley, and Ukiah Vineyard in Mendocino, as part of the sale.  Under his full ownership, he names the company Beckstoffer Vineyards.

Andy Beckstoffer, Chris Carriuolo, SVP Marketing and Sales and Stewart Watson, CEO of Heublein, Inc.

1974: Beckstoffer purchases Vinifera Vineyard in Mendocino.

Ukiah Daily Journal, June 25, 1974

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1975: The Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association is formed with Andy Beckstoffer as a Founding Director and its second President.  Beckstoffer forges an historic agreement on grape pricing, tying the price of grapes to retail bottle price.  Thus begins a new era, in which grape quality and land preservation are brought to the forefront of the grape grower industry.

The Sacramento Bee, August 2, 1997

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1976: Andy Beckstoffer leads the Napa Valley Grapegrowers in a controversial move to demand geographical and historical indicators be used to establish a wine’s appellation of origin.

Wines and Vines, December 1977

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1976: Beckstoffer was appointed to the Napa County Planning Commission and served as a commissioner until 1981.

Napa County Planning Commission

1978: Beckstoffer purchases 44 vineyard acres in the Carneros appellation of the Napa Valley

(left to right) John Crossland, Louis Martini and Andy Beckstoffer

1980s: Andy Beckstoffer promotes vineyard-designated wines as the best expression of wines produced from a single vineyard source.  Resulting Vineyard Designate wines from Beckstoffer Vineyards receive the highest accolades and the move to wines that express the unique character of a particular vineyard site is born.

Wine Enthusiast, 1999

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1981: Beckstoffer purchases 249 acres of prime vineyard land in Mendocino County.

Mendocino County

1983: Beckstoffer purchases Las Piedras Vineyard, the first of the Beckstoffer Vineyards’ Heritage Vineyards in the Napa Valley.

Las Piedras Vineyard, Napa Valley

1988: Beckstoffer purchases the former Beaulieu Vineyard Number 3 in Rutherford, 221 acres of prime vineyard land in the Napa Valley, and the second of its’ Heritage Vineyards.  He renames it Vineyard Georges III.

Andy and Andre Tchelitscheff in Beaulieu Vineyard #3, 1988

1989: Beckstoffer leads the Napa Valley Grapegrowers in establishing the Winery Definition Ordinance, which requires that 75% of grapes used in wines must be from the Napa Valley, and allows food service and education at Napa Valley wineries.

The Napa Register, November 19, 1987

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1992-1997: Beckstoffer purchases five Napa Valley properties including four Heritage Vineyards: Beckstoffer Carneros Lake in Carneros, To Kalon in Oakville, Missouri Hopper in Yountville and Dr. Crane Vineyard in Saint Helena and Las Amigas Vineyard in the Napa Valley.

Left to right: Frank Villaneuva, Philip Marquand and Andy Beckstoffer at To Kalon (formerly Beaulieu Vineyard #4)

1994: Andy Beckstoffer is Founding Director and first President of the Rutherford Dust Society dedicated to encouraging and promoting the highest quality standards in grape growing and winemaking in the Rutherford Viticultural Area.

1997: Beckstoffer Vineyards is honored by the State of California as an Integrated Pest Management Innovator for its commitment to new viticulture technologies and pest management.

1997 Integrated Pest Management Innovator Award

1997:  David Beckstoffer joins Beckstoffer Vineyards with an MBA from The Wharton School and after a decade working for Bechtel, specializing in structuring financing for international construction projects.

David Beckstoffer joins Beckstoffer Vineyards

1998-1999: Beckstoffer purchases over 1,000 acres, including the S Bar S Ranch and surrounding hillsides at Mount Konocti in the Red Hills of Lake County.

The Red Hills of Lake County

1998-2000:  Beckstoffer purchases Mendocino 101 Vineyard.

Mendocino 101 Vineyard

2000: Andy Beckstoffer becomes Chairman and CEO and David Beckstoffer becomes President and COO of Beckstoffer Vineyards

Andy and David Beckstoffer

2000: the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce, names Andy and Betty Beckstoffer, married for 42 years, Citizens of the Year, for their dedication and active participation in the community.

Andy and Betty Beckstoffer named St. Helena Citizens of the Year

2001-2009: Beckstoffer purchases Talmage Pond and Hopland Vineyards in Mendocino, and Galleron Vineyard in St. Helena.

Talmage Pond Vineyard, Mendocino County

2005-2011: Beckstoffer was elected and served on the Napa County Land Trust Board of Directors

Land Trust of Napa County

2007: Beckstoffer was given the Wine Industry Leadership Award on July 20th by the United States Congressional Wine Caucus.

Wine Industry Leadership Award

2010: Beckstoffer purchases the historic Bourn Vineyard near the town of St. Helena.

Napa Valley Register, December 3, 2010

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2010: Andy Beckstoffer is elected into the Culinary Institute of America’s Vintners Hall of Fame, the first grower to be honored with this prestigious wine industry award.

Andy Beckstoffer is elected into the CIA Vintners Hall of Fame. (from left to right) David, Kristin, Betty and Andy Beckstoffer.

2010: Beckstoffer family honored at dedication ceremony on August 16th for THE BECKSTOFFER FAMILY GRAPEGROWERS’ PLAZA at Justin-Siena High School.

Left to right: David, Betty, Andy and Kristin Beckstoffer.

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2011-2019: Beckstoffer purchases over 723 acres (404+ estimated plantable), expanding the Amber Knolls Vineyard.

208.78 acres purchased from AG Cred/Roumiguire (2011); 143.98 acres from Henrik Nielsen (2016); 114.86 from Lindemuth (2017); 9.77 from Meshulam (2017); 232.25 from DeCarli (2018); and 13.9 acres from MacDonnell (2019).

The Red Hills of Lake County

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2011: Andy Beckstoffer is featured in The Wall Street Journal for his contributions and legacy in grape growing. Unlike many growers, Andy only sells grapes to other wineries; he doesn’t make wine himself. The Beckstoffer holdings (which also include a couple thousand more acres in Mendocino and Lake Counties) are not only notable for their size but their pedigree. They include some of the top Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in the state.

The Wall Street Journal, March 19, 2011

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2011: A 10,000-square-foot gym named the Beckstoffer Gymnasium in honor of Andy Beckstoffer in the Alex Rorabough Center.

Lake County Record-Bee, December 28, 2011

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2013-2017: Beckstoffer purchases over 179 acres of open land to be cleared and planted (79+ estimated plantable) to expand the Crimson Ridge Vineyard.

46.84 acres purchased from Honeycutt (2013); 38.7 acres from Spencer (2015); 75.88 acres from Geurts (2016); and 17.61 acres from Morks/Humphrey (2017).

The Red Hills of Lake County

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2015: Beckstoffer Vineyards contributes $50,000 to #LakeCountyRising.

Beckstoffer Vineyards contributes $50 to Lake County fund raising campaign, September 21, 2015

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2015: Andy and Betty Beckstoffer donated $100,000 to Connolly Ranch for construction of education showcase barn.

Napa Valley Register, August 26, 2015

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2015: Andy Beckstoffer is selected as the California Assocation of Winegrape Growers 2015 Grower of the year.

Andy Beckstoffer is honored by the California Assocation of Winegrape Growers

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2016: The Beckstoffer Grapegrowers Barn was unveiled at a ceremony at Conolly Ranch.

Napa Valley Register, May 13, 2016

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2016: The Beckstoffer family pledged $500,000 toward the new OLE Health development project in south Napa.

Napa Valley Register, December 1, 2016

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2017: Andy Beckstoffer is featured on the cover of June’s Wine Spectator as “Napa Valley’s Most Powerful Grapegrower”. In depth articles showcase Andy being the grower behind many of Napa Valley’s elite Cabernets and his vineyard empire making him one of the most influential people in California wine today.

Additional article showcases Andy’s belief that Red Hills in Lake County shows the same potential that Napa Valley did in the 1960s and how he has set about proving his theory.

Wine Spectator, June 15, 2017

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2017: Originally purchased in 1993, Beckstoffer purchases another 145 acres from Treasury Estates (121.5 estimated plantable), expanding the Carneros Lake/Las Amiga Vineyard to over 480 acres (410 acres plantable).

Carneros Lake Vineyard, Carneros region in Napa Valley

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2019: Beckstoffer Vineyards Purchases the Beringer Clear Mountain Vineyard in the Red Hills of Lake County from Treasury Wine Estates; Renames it Amber Mountain

Press Release, January 15, 2019

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