Dan Lee

Dan Morgan Lee co-founded Morgan Winery in 1982 with his soon-to-be wife Donna, hand-labeling bottles after their day jobs in a Salinas warehouse, with friends and family helping out with bottlings and harvests. His early conviction in the Santa Lucia Highlands led him to Double L Vineyard, which the couple planted, farmed organically, and raised their twin daughters in. In 2001, the Double L became the region's first certified organic vineyard, and two years later Dan was named Winemaker of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle.

His work at Double L helped establish what the Santa Lucia Highlands is known for today: cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with real acidity and aging potential. That leadership and expertise in the appellation led to Dan being named the first Board President of the newly formed Santa Lucia Highlands Winegrowers Association in 2005. Over four decades after starting Morgan Winery, Dan remains its owner, winegrower, and winemaker, still guided by the belief that quality products grow a region.