U.S. Pinot Noir producer sourcing from California, Oregon, and Washington, with Central Coast, Mendocino County, Monterey County, and Willamette Valley bottlings.
The producer
Castle Rock Winery sources fruit from California, Oregon, and Washington and works with outside winemakers. Meghan Daniels Rech guides vineyard practices. The Pinot Noir range includes California, Central Coast, Mendocino County, Monterey County, and Willamette Valley bottlings. Wines are made and bottled at wineries in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Willamette Valley, and Columbia Valley. The company owns no vineyards or physical facilities.
Known for
Regional Pinot Noir sourcing
Notable facts
Greg Popovich founded Castle Rock Winery in 1994.
Castle Rock buys grapes from approximately 40 growers.
Meghan Daniels Rech became Castle Rock's Director of Winemaking in June 2020.
Castle Rock bottles wines at wineries in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Willamette Valley, and Columbia Valley.
The story
The Pepperdine MBA Model
While studying for an MBA at Pepperdine University, Greg Popovich watched two wineries fail under the weight of excessive overhead. He built Castle Rock around a different business model, sourcing fruit from vineyards in California, Oregon, and Washington and partnering with experienced winemakers. The arrangement avoided investment in brick and mortar and kept resources focused on wine. Castle Rock makes and bottles wines at wineries in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Willamette Valley, and Columbia Valley. The model Popovich formed at Pepperdine became the basis for the regional Pinot Noir range.
The Pepperdine MBA Model
While studying for an MBA at Pepperdine University, Greg Popovich watched two wineries fail under the weight of excessive overhead. He built Castle Rock around a different business model, sourcing fruit from vineyards in California, Oregon, and Washington and partnering with experienced winemakers. The arrangement avoided investment in brick and mortar and kept resources focused on wine. Castle Rock makes and bottles wines at wineries in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Willamette Valley, and Columbia Valley. The model Popovich formed at Pepperdine became the basis for the regional Pinot Noir range.
From the atlas
Castle Rock Winery
Castle Rock Winery makes Pinot Noir from sourced fruit, with the Central Coast as its California focus and regional bottlings from several states.
At A Glance
Field
Detail
Producer
Castle Rock Winery
Main grape
Pinot Noir
California origin
Central Coast
Range
Regional Pinot Noir bottlings
Defining feature
Sourced fruit and winery production without owned vineyards or physical facilities
The Producer
Castle Rock Winery buys grapes from a network of growers and makes its Pinot Noir range from that fruit. Greg Popovich owns the winery. Meghan Daniels Rech guides vineyard practices, and the company works with outside winemakers.
Castle Rock owns no vineyards or physical facilities. It sources fruit from California, Oregon, and Washington. The wines are made and bottled at wineries in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Willamette Valley, and Columbia Valley. The range is divided by regional origin.
Place
The Central Coast has a climate and soils suited to Pinot Noir. Castle Rock uses the region as a named origin in California.
The labels identify places at different geographic levels. Mendocino County and Monterey County are California counties, while Willamette Valley is an Oregon valley. Each name identifies the geographic source of the fruit, and Pinot Noir remains the grape.
Wines
Castle Rock's Pinot Noir range is divided by origin. The trade range includes California Pinot Noir and Central Coast Pinot Noir, along with county and valley bottlings. Pinot Noir is the grape in each listed wine.
The 2017 Central Coast bottle is a red wine with 13.5% alcohol in a 750 ml bottle. The 2022 Central Coast Pinot Noir won Best of Class Pinot Noir at the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Final Word
Castle Rock Winery is a Pinot Noir producer that sources fruit from growers and makes and bottles its wines through outside wineries. Its labels identify California, Central Coast, county, and valley origins.