Kenny and Cheryl Kahn, owners of Blue Rock Vineyard, migrated from Memphis Tennessee in 1987, fueled by a vision to create a great wine estate. They seized an opportunity when a historic, rundown 100-acre hillside estate was presented to them. Over nearly four decades, they've restored the vineyards, winery, and guest house, and gathered an extraordinary winemaking and hospitality team.

Carla Jeffries, Managing Director/General Manager of Blue Rock Vineyard, draws from her upbringing in Mid-Michigan, where her family ran an agricultural business specializing in bare root rose bushes and homemade wine. Inspired by her family's dedication to farming and winemaking, Carla's passion for wine was ignited early on. A transformative trip to California's wine country led her to permanently relocate, setting aside plans to take over her family's business.

Throughout her career, Carla has held leadership roles, including pivotal contributions to the launch and growth of departments at Francis Coppola's Winery in the early 2000s, followed by a tenure as General Manager at another local winery. At Blue Rock Vineyard, Carla's multifaceted role involves overseeing all aspects of hospitality, sales, marketing, branding, and administration. She is also an integral part of the winemaking team.

Aaron Piotter, Winemaker and Estate Manager with 30 vintages of experience, brings a seasoned perspective to Blue Rock Vineyard & Winery. Hailing from Sonoma, his journey began at 19 when he worked alongside Phillipe Melka evaluating harvest wines in Bordeaux for seven years. After graduating from UC Davis, Aaron honed his craft as a winemaker at esteemed estates like Sebastiani, ZD Wines, and Quintessa. His expertise spans luxury wine production, blending viticulture and winemaking seamlessly. Aaron's tenure includes renowned wineries like Mt. Veeder, Ferrari-Carano, and Frei Ranch. His unique ability to integrate both viticultural and winemaking insights elevates the distinct character of Blue Rock Vineyard’s Alexander Valley Estate and Blue Rock’s Gapstone Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap. Aaron resides in Windsor with his wife Kristin, where they indulge in outdoor activities, coaching high school sports, cooking, reading, and exploring diverse wine styles worldwide.

Jamie Watanabe, Blue Rock’s Hospitality and Operations Manager since 2022, seamlessly integrates into the team with her thoughtful, observant approach. Regarded as a sister figure by all, Jamie's nearly decade-long experience in the wine industry is complemented by her deep roots in Sonoma County. Hailing from Healdsburg, she embodies the wine country lifestyle ingrained in the town's DNA since childhood.

Meet Jeff Noel, John Murray & Jessica Camponella our warm and knowledgeable hosts at Blue Rock. These seasoned Sonoma residents and passionate wine enthusiasts, Jeff, John & Jessica are eager to share their expertise. Jeff offers insights into winemaking, farming, and local hidden gems, along with top recommendations for dining and exploration in Sonoma County. Meanwhile, John, a veteran of three decades in wine hospitality, is not only an avid golfer but also a published author with a wealth of wisdom to share about both wine and golf. Jessica hails from Italy where she was in the winery business and worked as a pastry chef. Jessica is just as happy to discuss wines, and winemaking as she is about desserts and where to go in Italy.

Adela Herrera and Margarita Bautista lead Blue Rock’s culinary and domestic operations with meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to excellence. Beginning their journey in the vineyards, their dedication, eagerness to learn, and can-do attitudes propelled them through one-on-one training sessions with renowned consultant chefs like Russell Michel, Robert Negoesco, Lauren Kershner, and others, as well as with Blue Rock’s lodging partner, Inspirato. Today, they seamlessly orchestrate behind-the-scenes tasks, ensuring the flawless execution of our culinary and hospitality programs.

Justine joined the Blue Rock team just over a year ago. Her focus is Customer service, sales and logistics. Justine loves working with our clients, our team and our partners to ensure our Blue Rock wines are enjoyed by all. Justine is a New York Italian currently living in New Hampshire.

Oreo is the winery Labradoodle. He is full of boundless energy and is Kenny’s constant companion. Warning, Oreo is adorable and will steal your heart AND your cheese plate!

Finnigan is Carla’s rescue pup. His multiple roles at Blue Rock include: Official Greeter, Head of Security (he barks senselessly) and Chief Cuddler. You can find him on the heels of his mom or trying to sneak into your vehicle because he is tired, and ready to go home from his long day (which he thinks should end at noon).

Meet Shelly Kelley, Blue Rock's National Sales and Marketing Manager, also an integral part of the winemaking team. Based in New Hampshire, she leads the East Coast crew, spreading the Blue Rock charm across the nation's 37 markets. With over 18 years in the industry, Shelly's passion lies in wine and forging connections. Outside work, she finds joy in her role as a mother to three successful children and unofficially as Blue Rock's stylist and fitness coach. In her leisure, Shelly indulges in cycling, scuba diving, and swimming.

Jared Jackson is the Sales & Market Analyst at Blue Rock. With 18 years of dedication to wine education, he has set a standard of excellence in customer engagement and in-depth analysis across multiple areas. Beyond his role at Blue Rock, Jared enjoys creating music and sharing insider tips about his current home in Las Vegas. His insatiable curiosity and hospitality-driven personality bring a grounding resonance to the Blue Rock team and its friends and fans.

Manuel Avila has worked 20+ vintages in Sonoma County. He apprenticed in the French, artisan tradition of coopering barrels. Manuel is literally a jack of all trades from plumbing to concrete to electrical. He was born and raised in the high desert mountain town of Acopinalco del Penon in Tlaxaca, Mexico.

Jaime Correa has worked three vintages with Blue Rock Vineyard. In addition to working in the cellar, he keeps the Blue Rock gardens neat and the landscaping spectacular. Jaime was born and raised just outside Morelia in the town Indaparapeo in Michoacán, Mexico.

Garrett Buckland has been a viticultural consultant for Blue Rock for 13 years. He co-owns Premier Viticulture with renowned winemaker and viticulturist Steve Matthiasson. Their firm consults for some of the most renowned wineries and vineyards in Napa. Garrett directs farming operations for some of the best vineyards in the world and has been the driving force behind Blue Rock’s innovative, sustainable, and technology-driven vineyard practices. In 2023, Garrett was named Napa Valley Winegrower of the Year.

Francisco Medrano, who grew up immersed in agriculture in his native Mexico, is responsible for all day-to-day vineyard activities at Blue Rock and for implementing Garrett's rigorous protocols. The vineyard team, led by Francisco, are the unsung heroes who do the hard work in the fields. Blue Rock owes much of its elevated winegrowing quality to Francisco and his team.