Bohème is meaningful for both its geographical reference and perhaps, ethos. The Bohemian Highway runs through our town, Occidental, on the Sonoma Coast. The road’s name stems from the late 1800s when San Francisco’s Bohemian Club followed this route to a nearby grove. To me it’s natural that a club celebrating bohemian life was drawn to this place of beauty. 130 years ago and still today the Sonoma Coast provokes artistic expression and free living. I grew up in Oregon and came every summer to stay with my grandparents – where my mother grew up – at Caymus in Rutherford. I’d do all sorts of jobs around the winery and ride the Honda 50 in the vineyard. Later I was encouraged by my uncle and grandfather to get into the wine business. In 2000 I finished college and started working for my uncle, managing his vineyard near Occidental. At that moment I became a 5th generation California vintner. I was taught a lot by them but, like many vintners, had to figure much of it out on my own. One of humans’ great attributes is adaptability. It’s fun that we get to test that in ourselves when confronting the randomness that surrounds us. This helps with making wine because we can’t control every detail. In the end we need to make delicious wine and have a healthy business to support livelihoods while doing it.
Kurt Beitler
The Wines