- Founded in 2014 by Sonoma County native Mike Lucia, Rootdown Wine Cellars reflects his decades of experience in Northern California.
- Rootdown specializes in single-varietal, single-vineyard wines from organically farmed vineyards in Mendocino, Sonoma, and Amador Counties, producing refined expressions of varieties like Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Savagnin, and Trousseau.
- In 2019, Mike acquired Cole Ranch—the smallest AVA in the U.S.—shifting Rootdown’s focus toward Jura-inspired varieties including Trousseau, Savagnin, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay.
- This estate emphasizes minimal-intervention winemaking with hallmarks such as low alcohol, high acidity, native fermentations, little to no new oak, and minimal sulfur additions.
- Mike seeks to create wines that showcase earth and texture over fruit, expressing the unique terroir of each vineyard site.
Rootdown Wine Cellars was founded in 2014 by winemaker Mike Lucia, a lifelong Sonoma County wine insider whose journey began in Healdsburg in the early 1990s. After gaining valuable experience at wineries like DeLoach, Ridge, Goldeneye, and Copain, he launched Rootdown—a brand deeply influenced by the idea of terroir and the impact of soil on wine.
Rootdown has built a reputation for crafting single-varietal, single-vineyard wines sourced exclusively from organically farmed vineyards across Mendocino, Sonoma, and Amador Counties. These aren’t your average California labels. Instead, these are elegant, understated expressions of Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Savagnin, and Trousseau and more, all of which draw inspiration from Jura and Alpine regions.
A pivotal moment arrived in 2019 when Mike acquired Cole Ranch, which is currently the smallest American Viticultural Area (AVA), nestled between Ukiah Valley and Anderson Valley in Mendocino County. Since then, Rootdown’s focus has shifted toward Jura-inspired varieties like Trousseau, Savagnin, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, planted on the unique terroir of Cole Ranch.
The stylistic hallmarks of Rootdown wines are distinct: low alcohol, high acidity, minimal intervention, native fermentations, little to no new oak, and very limited sulfur. Mike’s aim is for wines that lead with earth and texture rather than overt fruit, allowing each site to speak for itself.
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