Rick Sayre

Senior Vice President of Winemaking, Emeritus, at Rodney Strong Wine Estates in Healdsburg, California

Rick began his winemaking career at the age of 19 as an assistant winemaker and cellar master at Simi Winery in Sonoma County. He had the opportunity to train under the world-renowned winemaster André Tchelistcheff, who instilled in his young trainee a deep passion for the art of winemaking and a desire to not only master his craft, but continually push the boundaries of creativity. “André taught me that a winemaker must live with his wine,” Rick recalls, “from walking the vineyards to the careful craft of guiding the wine into the bottle. Even the  smallest details can have a lasting effect.”

When Rod Strong decided to take a step back from the demanding role of winemaker, he called upon Rick Sayre, who joined the team at Rodney Strong Vineyards in 1979. In almost four decades in the cellar, Rick has guided the wine collection to include world-class Reserve, Symmetry and Single-Vineyard releases, an outstanding line of of Estate wines and best-in-class Sonoma County wines that continue to please vintage after vintage. His voracious appetite for new winemaking knowledge has taken him around the world, including trips to the wine regions of France, Australia, New Zealand and Spain. One cannot tell the story of Sonoma County Wine without a nod to Rick Sayre, and now Rick continues to promote Sonoma County and Rodney Strong  vineyards through his masterful story telling and wine expertise.


Celebrating 30 Years of the
Wine & Food Festival 

Past and Present Winemasters

  • 1993 – Richard Arrowood – Arrowood Vineyards and Winery
  • 1994 – Peter Mondavi, Sr. Charles Krug Winery
                    Hank Wetzel III – Alexander Valley Vineyards
  • 1995 – Bill Dyer – Sterling Vineyards
                    Dawnine Dyer – Domaine Chandon
  • 1996 – Chris Markell – Clos du Val Wine Co., Ltd.
                    Hank Wetzell III, Alexander Valley Vineyards
  • 1997 – George Phalan – Dunnewood Vineyards & Winery
                    Sandy Rogers – Simi Winery
  • 1998 – Bill Easton – Domaine de la Terre Rouge
                    Kevin Mott – Ste. Chapelle
  • 1999 – Ed Filice – Riverland Vineyards
                    Tom Larson – Sonoma Creek Winery
  • 2000 – Barry Bergman – R.H. Phillips Wine Co
                     Bob & Lelo Kerivan – Bridgeview Vineyards
  • 2001 – Jon-Mark Chappellet Vineyard
                    Jean & Jerry Bookwalter – Bookwalter Winery
  • 2002 – Kerry Norton – Covey Run Vinters
                    Charles Ortman – Meridian Vineyards
  • 2003 – Kent Rosenblum – Rosenblum Cellars
                     Scott Henry – Henry Estates
  • 2004 – Patty Bogle – Bogle Winery
                     Harry Wetzel IV – Alexander Valley Vineyards
  • 2005 – Casey McClellan – Seven Hills Winery
                     Rick Sayre – Rodney Strong Vineyards
  • 2006 – Jan du Prez – Leidersburg Wines
                     Barry Bergman – R.H. Phillips Wine Co
  • 2007 – Laurie Hook – Beringer Vineyards
                    Don Wallace – Dry Creek Vineyards
  • 2008 – Dave Lattin – Kuleto Estate Winery
                     Linda Trotta – Gundlach Bundschu Winery
  • 2009 – Gordon Hill – Milbrandt Vineyards
                     Bob Masyczek – Diageo Chateau and Estates
  • 2010 – Larry Brooks – Tolosa Winery
                    Eric Mohseni – Zaca Mesa Winery
  • 2011 – Bob Bertheau – Chateau Ste. Michelle
                   Adam Sbragia – Sbragia Family Vineyards
  • 2012 – Bob Iantosca – Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyard
                    Jack Stuart – Benessere Vineyards
  • 2013 – Max Erlwein – Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery
                    Patrick Merry – Merry Cellars
  • 2014 – Erik Miller – Kokomo Winery
                    Randy Ullom – Kendall-Jackson Winery
  • 2015 – Joe Shebl – Renwood Winery
                    Tyler Tennyson – Gordon Estate
  • 2016 – Joy Merrilees – Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery
                    Marc Mondavi – Charles Krug Winery
  • 2017 – Steve Lohr – J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
                    KR Rombauer – Rombauer Vineyards
  • 2018 – Chad Johnson – Dusted Valley Vineyards
                    Jeremy Leffert – Rabble Wine Company
  • 2019 – John & Lane Giguiere – Matchbook Wine Company
                    Ewan Proctor – Renfolds
  • 2020 – Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • 2021 – Kimberlee Nicholls – Markham Vineyards
                   Trevor Durling – Beaulieu Vineyard
  • 2022 – Rick Sayre – Rodney Strong Vineyards