vision
Skywalker Vineyards—where imagination, passion, and a relentlessly pioneering spirit ground the vision for a new class of wine craft, unfettered by conventional wisdom and intent on creating a wine culture rooted in Old World craftsmanship and elevated by innovation.
George Lucas’ visionary brilliance transitions seamlessly from screen to a vineyard panoramic where he has assembled the ultimate cast: world-class winemakers, iconic wineries in California, France, and Italy, and a distinctive architectural vernacular that ties them together in an unrivaled wine experience.
a bold idea
Skywalker Vineyards began two decades ago at Skywalker Ranch, but the genesis of Lucas’ vintner dreams can be traced back to his childhood in Modesto, California. Surrounded by vineyards, with the fragrance of fermenting grapes permeating the air, the small Central Valley community was imbued with the culture of grape growing and winemaking.
Years later, inspired and encouraged by the success of his friend Francis Ford Coppola’s winemaking endeavors, Lucas began a venture of his own. He first planted four acres of vineyard in 1991, which has since expanded to 28 acres producing some of the finest fruit in Marin County and an iconic winery.
pioneering
Imprinted with the same integrity and excellence as Lucas’ cinematic works, Skywalker Vineyards wines are the product of passionate pioneering and years of meticulous cultivation and craftsmanship, raising the bar not only for California wines but for varietals worldwide.
Our philosophy of farming on the edge—exploring the outer limits of potential in the cultivation of fruit—reveals the quintessential expression of place: a true reflection of earth, elevation, and atmosphere within our rich landscape.
Against the Odds
The goal was to produce distinguished, high-quality wines that meet Lucas’ own exacting standards and appeal to even the most ardent oenophiles. The challenge: West Marin County’s notably inhospitable environment—marked by dramatic temperature swings, stiff ocean winds, and precarious terrain—a region long considered too risky for growing grapes.
Characteristically, Lucas embraced the frontiersman mentality, relishing the challenge and committing himself to the cause. Among the first to pioneer plantings in Marin, he set out to push the envelope, defying both the odds and conventional wisdom.
“It is one of the great pleasures of my professional career to have made wine from grapes from the county where I was raised. Thirty years ago, no one would have believed that grapes would thrive in the wind and fog of West Marin. But they do, and Marin is emerging as one of the world’s great sites for Pinot and Chardonnay. It’s very exciting.”
— Scott McLeod
winemaking
In a conversation with George Lucas in 1996, Francis Coppola offered to help make wine from Lucas’ vineyard at Skywalker Ranch. This marked the beginning of a relationship with Winemaker Emeritus Scott McLeod, who directed the planting of 20 acres of Pinot Noir on the estate’s southern ridge. The first vintage yielded just a few tons of fruit, producing the inaugural 2008 Skywalker Vineyards Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Under the keen eye of Winemaker Scott McLeod, the next two decades were tirelessly dedicated to nurturing the best possible fruit at Skywalker Vineyards. West Marin’s fluctuating climate and short growing season are a constant test of locations, clones, microclimates, environments, techniques—and sanity.
evolving legacy
In 2014, Winemaker Keith Hock stepped in to help launch Skywalker’s iconic estate-bottled sparkling wines, beginning a three year collaboration with McLeod. In 2018, he took the reins and now oversees the entire wine portfolio, dedicated to honoring and evolving the legacy of excellence established by McLeod while further cementing Marin County’s reputation as one of the world’s premier wine-growing regions.
KEITH HOCK
Winemaker
Keith Hock is a distinguished California winemaker, celebrated for his unwavering commitment to quality and innovation. His dedication has earned him a reputation as one of the state’s premier winemakers, particularly in the field of sparkling wines. Holding an enology degree from Fresno State University and MBA in Wine Business from Sonoma State University, he has spent the last three decades mastering the art and science of winemaking.
During a 12-year tenure at Schramsberg Vineyards, Keith was instrumental in blending acclaimed sparkling wines, earning more than thirty 90+ scores. In 2014, Keith joined Skywalker Vineyards to help launch our estate-bottled sparkling wine program. After three years of collaboration with Winemaker Emeritus Scott McLeod, he took full leadership in 2018, overseeing the full Skywalker wine portfolio. As Skywalker Vineyards Winemaker, Keith is dedicated to honoring and evolving the legacy of excellence originally forged by McLeod. He crafts world-class wines that embody the estate’s distinctive terroir and authentic sense of place.
It is this difficult evolution which makes every triumph worthwhile. A victory over nature and a testament to tenacity, Skywalker wines are an unqualified success.
place
Earth, elevation and atmosphere play a critical role in pushing the boundaries of grape growing to realize new and distinguished flavors. Whether located at the summit of Skywalker Ranch, exposed to morning or afternoon sun, or tucked into the valley floor to keep the coastal winds at bay, each factor contribute to creating unique wines from Marin County.
coastal contrasts
The Skywalker Vineyards estate winery embodies the spirit of the place—where coastal fog funnels through the Nicasio Gap and meets a warm, Mediterranean-like climate—and is both dramatically striking and welcoming, with a classic California sense of hospitality.
The winery itself is a place where majestic architecture meets cutting-edge technology. Stained glass and stainless steel coexist, and Old World craftsmanship enhances not only the woodwork, but the wines as well.
You can’t do it unless you can imagine it.
— George Lucas