Rob Jensen, a fourth generation Northern Californian, has always had a great passion for California winemaking: its past, present, and future. Extensive travel to Europe's great wine growing areas, combined with living in Italy during his university days, further increased this passion and eventually led to the founding of Testarossa Vineyards. In fact, the name of the winery comes from a nickname given to Rob during his studies in Italy: Testarossa, meaning redhead in Italian.

Although Rob's degree is in Electrical Engineering, with a minor in Italian language and culture (Santa Clara University, 1986), he has studied grape growing, winemaking and chemistry at the renowned School of Viticulture and Oenology at UC Davis. During Rob's nearly twenty year high-tech career he held several sales and marketing positions in pre- and post-IPO companies in Silicon Valley. In October 2001, Rob left his high-tech career in Silicon Vallley to work full-time at the winery. Rob's technical background, love of the arts, and business experience made it a natural for him to dive headlong into the wine business, an industry that is equal parts science and art.

Diana Jensen, also born in Northern California but raised in San Diego, met Rob while earning her BS in Electrical Engineering at Santa Clara University. After graduating in 1988, she worked in high-tech marketing in Silicon Valley's National Semiconductor and Cypress Semiconductor. She, along with Rob, founded Testarossa Vineyards in 1993, as a small, weekend project. But as new grape sources were secured and the wines' outstanding quality was discovered, a daily presence was needed to develop the winery into a business. In 1994, Diana left the high tech world and started working full-time at Testarossa, running its day-to-day business operation. To aid her in this endeavor, Diana has taken extensive wine-business courses at the University of California at Davis. Like Rob, Diana's love of wine is deep-seated and has grown through her involvement at Testarossa. She has a great palate and is often called upon as a tie-breaker at assemblage tastings.

Rob and Diana have two wonderful children, Nick, born in 1993, who loves playing at the winery, and Claire, born in 1996. Our reserve Pinot Noir, the Cuvée Niclaire, is named after them. The Jensen family shares their Los Altos, California home with two fun and rambunctious Labrador Retrievers.