Designing Epoch: Wine, Architecture, & Place
Thursday, May 14th | 5:15 – 9 PM
$225 member price per ticket | $275 non-member price per ticket
Your invited to a special Panel Discussion and Winemaker Dinner at Epoch Estate Wines celebrating the architectural vision behind Epoch. This cohesive family of structures nestled across Epoch’s York Mountain property was named #2 Best Winery Design in the World by Architectural Digest in 2018.
Join architects, Steve George and Brian Korte, engineer, Michael Parolini, and Epoch Winemaker, Jordan Fiorentini for an engaging panel discussion moderated by acclaimed wine writer, Jordan Mackay. Together, they’ll explore how thoughtful design, landscape, and terroir converge to shape both the winery and the wines themselves!
Epoch Estate Wines
…a production facility that fits into the landscape of its York Mountain site. The 17,000-square-foot steel-framed facility has an open-air fermentation space to take advantage of cool nighttime temperatures. The vaulted barrel room is constructed of board-formed concrete and is dramatically lit by two oculi. The tasting room is set in the former York Mountain Winery, which was condemned after an earthquake in 2003. Architect Brian Korte preserved the original redwood beams and utilized stones from the original cellar in the revitalized building...
– Architectural Digest
Panel Moderator
Jordan Mackay
Jordan Mackay is a James Beard Award-winning journalist on food, wine, and spirits. His work has appeared in Food & Wine, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Decanter, Wine & Spirits, and many other publications. He is the author of nine books, including Secrets of the Sommeliers and The Sommeliers Atlas of Taste (with Rajat Parr), and a trio of Franklin BBQ books (with Aaron Franklin), as well as The Maison Premiere Almanac. His forthcoming book on Chartreuse will be published by Ten Speed Press in fall 2026.
Epoch Vice President of Winemaking & Vineyards
Jordan Fiorentini
Jordan Fiorentini has been the winemaker at Epoch Estate Wines since 2010, bringing a rare blend of technical precision and artistic vision to her craft. Trained in engineering at Dartmouth College and viticulture and enology at UC Davis, she honed her skills at acclaimed wineries in Tuscany, Napa, and Sonoma before finding her home in Paso Robles. As Vice President of Winemaking and Vineyards, Jordan leads a dedicated team focused on expressing site and vintage through organic, biodynamic, and block-specific winemaking. Her wines regularly earn top critical acclaim, reflecting her commitment to sustainability, mentorship, and thoughtful innovation in modern California wine.
Principal, Clayton Korte
Brian Korte
Brian Korte FAIA is a Principal at Clayton Korte, an architecture and interiors firm, nationally recognized for its contextually sensitive design and refined material sensibility. The practice’s work, spanning adaptive reuse, ranches, wineries, and residential projects, is grounded in a regionalist ethos that prioritizes site, craft, and environmental responsiveness, seamlessly integrating architecture with the surrounding landscape. Brian has collaborated with Bill and Liz Armstrong for more than two decades on projects in California, Colorado, and Texas, including the design and construction of Epoch Winery and Tasting Room, as well as other notable regional winery projects such as Saxum, Fulldraw, and Copia. In summer 2025, Clayton Korte released its first monograph documenting the evolution of the Hill Country Wine Cave, one of the firm’s most celebrated projects and a clear expression of its philosophy of architecture that honors, rather than competes with, its context.
Epoch Construction Manager
& Owner’s Rep
Steve George
Steve George is the Epoch Estate Wines Owner’s Rep and resident architect, managing construction of all historic renovations, including the York Mountain Farmhouse, bunk house, and horse barn, as well as the modular Tasting Room and all new building projects for Epoch. Before joining the Armstrong team, Steve had his own architectural practice in Denver, CO; it was here that Steve, and Brian Korte met while working on the Armstrongs’ company headquarters in Denver. Steve was integral to the development and construction of Epoch’s state-of-the-art winery and Tasting Room and he continues to lead new projects for the Armstrongs around the country.
Principal, Buehler Engineering
Michael Parolini, S. E.
Michael is a Principal at Buehler and the Director of the San Luis Obispo office. His experience comprises all aspects of structural engineering with a specialty in government, education, existing building, and public works projects. He has served as a Lecturer at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo since 2005 where he has taught classes in structural graphics, industry communication, timber, and steel; he greatly enjoys sharing his knowledge and mentoring young structural engineers, helping them grow in their careers. Michael has published papers on various topics, including forensic engineering, rain-induced roof collapses, nonconventional structural systems, and the state of structural engineering licensure.
