THE TEAM

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Geologists, Bill and Liz Armstrong, share a similar spirit, one that is dedicated to the purity of science and endless exploration. Bill is a self-diagnosed “cork dork” who is a huge believer in the fun and “truth” that is wine. One day Bill woke up and realized he wanted to be more than just a wine lover; he wanted to also be a wine producer, and thus set about on a deliberate (and quite fun) search for the perfect plot of land. Land that would produce wine he and Liz would love to make, drink, and share with family and friends. While studying oenology in his spare time, Bill’s palate quickly took a liking to wines from the Rhone region in France, particularly the Southern Rhone. These wines reflected their unique sense of place, were frickin’ delicious, and had a fun/happy factor that was totally up Bill’s alley.

So, with a specific wine style in mind and a Geology degree in his back pocket, Bill embarked on a quest for the ultimate American terroir that would produce world-class wine. In 2004, this mission led Bill and Liz to a small pocket of land on California’s Central Coast between Paso Robles and the Pacific Ocean. The unique soils, weather, hilliness, and extreme temperature swings found at Paderewski Vineyard were exactly what they were searching for. What they were not expecting was how much the Paso culture totally jived with their personalities; the entrepreneurial, collaborative spirit along with the rodeo, All-American vibe had Bill and Liz feeling at home from day one. With the later purchases of Catapult and York Mountain, Bill and Liz’s Epoch journey expanded, and they look forward to many years of crafting delicious wines, making people happy, preserving Epoch’s rich history, and most importantly, having a blast while doing it!

WINEMAKER

Jordan Fiorentini

Vice President of Winemaking & Vineyards

After an extensive international search, owners/vintners, Bill and Liz Armstrong, found their dream partner in Jordan Fiorentini. The Epoch winemaking mission and unique vineyards stole Jordan’s heart, and before she knew it, she had packed up her family and moved from Sonoma to the quaint Central Coast town of Paso Robles.

Passionate, dedicated, and not afraid to push the envelope Winemaker, Jordan Fiorentini, brings an enthusiastic and experienced spirit to Epoch Estate Wines. Her palate is the kind wine lovers dream of and one that speaks to Jordan through shapes; having an awesome artistic side, Jordan now draws her Tasting Notes in addition to writing about each wine.

Jordan oversees all the wine and vine decisions along with the day-to-day needs of the winery. With her dedicated staff of four, she works hard to ensure every bottle of Epoch wine is always at its best. Besides being crazy talented, Jordan also happens to be wicked smart with an engineering undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and a masters degree in viticulture from UC Davis. Jordan earned her spurs working at her family’s winery in Georgia (yes, they really do make wine in Georgia), Araujo Estate in Napa Valley, Antinori Winery in Italy (where she met her husband), and most recently as head winemaker at Chalk Hill in Sonoma. If you have a geeky wine question or just want to drop Jordan a line hello email her at [email protected].