The Testarossa Story
From a Sunnyvale Garage to International Acclaim
The story of our founders, Rob & Diana Jensen, is another example of the American Dream where hard work, a passion for doing what you love and a can-do attitude lead to amazing accomplishments.
These native Californians met as electrical engineering students of Santa Clara University (SCU), a Jesuit school here in Santa Clara Valley. Rob's love of bicycle racing led him to also take Italian while at SCU. Rob spent two summers studying abroad in the central Italian hill town of Assisi, where redheaded Rob was given the nickname Testarossa, the Italian word for redhead.
The Jensen's love of food and wine led them to become serious wine hobbyists in the early 1990's, at first making 5 gallons of Chardonnay in their Sunnyvale kitchen. By 1993, they had made a full 60 gallon barrel of wine. The grape press in our Tasting Room is the original press the Jensens used in their Sunnyvale garage that year. At the same time, they also planted two dozen vines in their yard. Soon they were taking every viticulture and enology class offered by the world famous wine school at University of Cailfornia at Davis. They became frequent volunteers at Cinnabar Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where Cinnabar's winemaker, George Troquato, befriended them.
Even though the Jensen's budding wine passion was growing, they still found time to pursue careers at Cypress Semiconductor and VERITAS Software. It was also time to start a family, and their first child, Nick, was born in 1993
A Small Santa Cruz Mountains Vineyard
In late 1993, Troquato told the Jensens about a small 1½ acre vineyard off of Zayante Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains that they could lease. The Jensens, along with several close friends, took on this "weekend warrior” vineyard project. For the next five years, this band of urban wine loving volunteers restored the old vineyard, gaining incredible knowledge and respect for the ups and downs of wine grape growing, including the voraciousness of birds.
"Futures-Futures" and the Early Vintages
To fund all of the needed vineyard improvements, the Jensens offered "Futures-Futures" to thirty close friends who would each get a case of wine and have the opportunity to work in the vineyard for the upcoming 1994 vintage. This program was so successful that they actually needed more grapes. Thus, the Jensen's connected with Michael Michaud, then the winemaker at the Chalone Winery, who in an effort to promote the Chalone Appellation's unique qualities, sold them some grapes. Sadly, after thousands of hours restoring the old Santa Cruz Mountains vineyard, the birds got underneath the nets and ate 95% of the 1994 harvest. Fortunately, the Jensen's first wine, a 1994 Chardonnay from the Chalone grapes started a trend with wine journalists, receiving a special mention as well as an "Outstanding” 91 point rating from both Wine Spectator and Connoisseurs' Guide.
In 1995, the Jensens added the world class Michaud and the Bien Nacido Vineyards. Cinnabar owner Tom Mudd was generous enough to lease Testarossa space in his Santa Cruz Mountains hill top winery, where Cinnabar winemaker George Troquato made Testarossa wines with Rob in 1994, 1995, and 1996. In 1996, their daughter Claire was born.
A new home: the 19th Century Novitiate Winery
By 1996, we had out-grown the limited space available at Cinnabar. George Troquato recommended the old Jesuit Novitiate winery in Los Gatos. Both Rob and Diana loved this idea as they felt truly connected with the history of the Novitiate Winery. The Jesuit history ties to their days at SCU and to Fr. John Geary SJ., who was the priest who married them in 1988. Fr. John Geary SJ. and his twin brother Joe Jr. went to the seminary at the Novitiate in the 1930s. Both retired here as well. Also, their father, Joe Geary Sr,. was the architect who did the major expansion of the winery after prohibition was repealed in 1933.
For the first time, the Jensens had complete control of winemaking and they had plenty of space to continue the slow, 1,000 case per year, growth model which they adopted in 1995. In 1997, they added two new vineyards: the Pisoni Vineyards and Sleepy Hollow Vineyard. Boht are located in Monterey's premier growing appellation, the Santa Lucia Highlands. Two more world class Santa Lucia Highlands vineyards were added in 1999: Garys' Vineyard and Rosella's Vineyard. Ed Kurtzman was hired as winemaker in 1999, and was succeeded by Bill Brosseau in 2003.
World Class Wines
All of the Jensen's hard work continued to be rewarded by the world's wine journalists. We received (and continues to receive) dozens and dozens of outstanding reviews including selections in every major wine writer's Top 100, Top 10, Top Wines of the Year lists, from the likes of Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Connoisseurs' Guide, Wine & Spirits, Decanter Magazine (UK) and the San Francisco Chronicle. The biggest highlight was selection of our Niclaire Pinot Noir (named after the Jensen's two children, Nick and Claire) as the Top Pinot Noir in the world by Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2001.
Tasting Room & Events Center Expansion
In 2003, we took over and restored the old Novitiate Tasting Room and Events Center, to be able to welcome visitors and share first hand, both the quality of our wines and the rich history of the old winery. To make this expansion dream a reality, Rob and Diana were thrilled when long time friends, Testarossa supporters, and Testarossa grape growers, Howard and Linda Graham of Monte Sereno, accepted their invitation to become the first and only investment partners in the winery. The Grahams, with the Jensen's help, purchased and planted the Graham Vineyard in the Russian River Valley in 2001. The Jensens were rewarded for their hard work once again in 2004 when Restaurant Wine named Testarossa, Winery of the Year.
A new image to celebrate Testarossa's 15th Anniversary
In 2008, we celebrated our fifteenth anniversary with a major new image and labeling project. We hired Jeffrey Caldewey of Icon Design, a legend among wine label and packaging designers, who is famous for designing the labels of such famous wines as Chateau Montelena, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Grigich Hills, Jordan, Groth Chalk Hill and Beringer. Our new wine label showcases the winery's maturity with a classic design. This design features the19th Century winery and incorporates the name of the winery through the middle of a hand drawn sketch of the building and hillsides. The name Testarossa has been split into two different colors to highlight their modernity. The finishing touch is a new 'Circle-T' logo which is a modern interpretation of a bi-lateral cordon grape vine that has been incorporated into a circle to simulate our 'T'. This new look was debuted with the 2007 vintage.
If you look closely at our new label, the front door of the winery is always open, because we love welcoming each and everyone of you to visit us here in Los Gatos!