C. Frederic “Fred” Brander, owner and general manager, was born and raised in Buenos Aires, and later emigrated with his family to the US, settling in Santa Barbara. After graduating from Harvey Mudd College with a degree in Chemistry, he went on to pursue studies in Enology at UC Davis. Fred started his career in the wine business by working for a Santa Barbara wine merchant and later went to work in the wholesale business. While attending college, he started his own small wine import company, bringing in wines from France and his native Argentina.
Wishing to make his own wines, and with a fondness for Santa Barbara, Fred and his family established The Brander Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley in 1975, where he quickly developed a reputation for making outstanding Sauvignon Blanc. Fred’s passion for this varietal has committed him to be California’s top producer of Sauvignon. With over 42 vintages “in the bottle,” he is a pioneer of the Santa Barbara wine country.