Martha Stoumen

Martha Stoumen is a first-generation winemaker and a leading figure in California's natural wine movement, known for her technical expertise, hands-on viticultural approach, and a winemaking philosophy centered on patience and minimal intervention.

Education and Apprenticeships: Stoumen's journey into winemaking began not in a traditional wine-producing family but through a deep interest in agricultural systems. After completing a dual undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and Geography at UCLA, she worked on a small farm in Tuscany, where she was first introduced to grape growing and winemaking. Over the next eight years, she pursued a vocational path, completing a series of international apprenticeships.

  • Apprenticeships: Her experience includes working with esteemed winemakers and estates such as:

    • Giusto Occhipinti and Arianna Occhipinti (COS) in Sicily

    • Didier Barral (Domaine Leon Barral) in Languedoc, France

    • Reinhard Löwenstein (Heymann-Löwenstein) in the Mosel, Germany

  • Graduate Studies: To complement her practical experience with scientific knowledge, Stoumen earned a Master of Science in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis in 2012.

Winemaking Philosophy and Practice: In 2014, Stoumen founded Martha Stoumen Wines with a vision to create wines that express a specific place and time without chemical manipulation. Her technical approach is defined by a "culture of patience" and a holistic view of the winemaking process from vineyard to bottle.

  • In the Vineyard:

    • She sources her grapes primarily from Northern California, including Mendocino County, Contra Costa County, and Suisun Valley, working with both multi-generational family farmers and vineyards she leases and farms herself.

    • Her farming practices are based on organic and dry-farming principles. She prioritizes soil health and vine longevity over high yields, using methods like composting and encouraging predatory insects instead of synthetic fertilizers and insecticides.

    • She works with both historical California varietals like Carignan and Zinfandel, as well as Mediterranean grapes such as Nero d'Avola, which she believes are well-suited to California's warm and dry climate.

  • In the Cellar:

    • Stoumen's winemaking is a low-intervention process that relies on a minimalist approach.

    • She exclusively uses native yeasts and bacteria for fermentation, believing that the grapes contain all the necessary components for a complex and vibrant wine.

    • She avoids common winemaking additives such as commercial yeast, fining agents (including plastic, milk protein, and gelatin), and added tannins or acids.

    • Sulfur dioxide (SO2​) is used sparingly, with the final total typically kept under ~35 ppm, and some wines may have no additions at all.

    • The wines are aged in neutral oak to allow the vineyard's characteristics to shine through without the influence of new wood.

    • The winery operates out of a shared facility in Sebastopol, California.