Jim McCabe

Jim McCabe's path to winemaking was an unusual one. In 2009, while finishing his graduate school thesis, a friend — Aaron Luna, then assistant winemaker at Bernardus — invited him to work in the cellar. What began as a way to do something new before starting a teaching career became a career itself. Guided and mentored by longtime Bernardus winemaker Dean De Korth, Jim took over as winemaker just before the 2023 harvest.

His introduction to fine wine came through Aaron: a 2006 Pinot Noir from Ingrid's Vineyard that was eye-opening in its intensity of aroma and flavor — a moment that sparked the curiosity he now brings to every vintage. Jim is drawn to the Santa Lucia Highlands' natural beauty — the soft bench of the Salinas Valley rising into steep mountains — and cherishes the days in mid- to late August when he walks the vineyards sampling grapes with growers before harvest intensifies.

For Jim, the rhythm of the year is what makes the job. Each season in the cellar demands its own set of skills, from bud break through fermentation, aging, and bottling — always facing new challenges, refining the process, and making improvements.