United States · California

Windy Oaks

Windy Oaks Estate is a family-owned Pinot Noir specialist on the Schultze family's organic ranch in the Corralitos area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, one of California's coolest and most topographically complex Pinot Noir zones. Founded in 1996 by Jim and Judy Schultze, the estate produces exclusively estate-grown Pinot Noir from their 10-acre organic vineyard planted in the early 1990s. The Proprietors Reserve, with 91 lots and an average of $61, is the workhorse of the auction portfolio, while the Schultze Family Estate Cuvée averages $142 and the Diane's Block $95 — both from more select vine selections. The 2010 and 2012 vintages appear most frequently as top marks in the portfolio, reflecting the estate's affinity for cooler, structured years. Windy Oaks occupies an interesting position in the Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir landscape: less expensive than Mount Eden or Rhys, but with a comparable commitment to low-intervention, estate-focused winemaking. Production is small — under 1,500 cases annually — which keeps the wines in modest scarcity without reaching luxury price levels. Auction prices consistently hover below $150, suggesting the collector base is primarily composed of loyal regional enthusiasts rather than broad Pinot Noir investors.