At the International White Wine Festival
Get to Know the Guest Producers & Wine Regions!
Learn more about our special guests and the wines and regions that they adore and plan to share with you!
Special Guest: Lisa Tupetz (Germany)
Founder, Tupetz Wine Connection | Boutique German Wine Importer
Raised in Germany and educated at the prestigious Geisenheim University, Lisa Tupetz brings deep-rooted connections and insider access to some of Germany’s most compelling small-production wineries. Through her California-based import company, Tupetz Wine Connection, she curates a handpicked portfolio of Riesling, Pinot Noir, and sparkling Sekt from families she knows personally—each wine a reflection of tradition, terroir, and modern craftsmanship.
Why German Wines Matter
- Over 65% of Germany’s wine production is white wine
- 3rd largest Pinot Noir producer in the world (after France & the U.S.)
- Known for precision, purity, and balance in cool-climate winemaking
- Home to world-class Riesling and increasingly dry, age-worthy styles
- Steep-slope vineyards + diverse soils = unmistakable terroir expression
Signature Traits of German Wine
Cool-Climate Precision | Low Alcohol | Transparency of Fruit | Food Versatility | Steep-Slope Viticulture | Terroir-Driven Styles
Taste Lisa’s hand-selected lineup at the festival and discover why Germany continues to redefine modern white wine excellence.
Contact: 805-234-7682 | Email: lisa@tupetzwine.com | Website: www.tupetzwine.com | Instagram: @tupetzwine
Office: (315) 563-1480 | Email: amy@fingerlakeswinealliance.com | Instagram: @fingerlakeswinealliance | Website: fingerlakeswinealliance.com
Special Guest Region: Finger Lakes, New York
Nova Cadamatre, MW & owner of Trestle 31, Presented by the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance
American Wine Region of the Year – Wine Enthusiast, 2025
Nestled among deep glacial lakes and rolling hills, the Finger Lakes region of New York is a rising force in cool-climate winemaking. Home to over 140 wineries across 11 lakes, the region blends natural beauty, geologic complexity, and a fiercely collaborative wine community.
From world-class Riesling to expressive sparkling wines, elegant Chardonnay, and vibrant Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes wines offer clarity, authenticity, and terroir-driven character. The region’s glacial soils—rich in limestone, shale, and gravel—combined with lake-moderated temperatures, extend the growing season and nurture vine health.
Why the Finger Lakes Matter
- Named 2025 Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast
- Over 140 wineries producing cool-climate white, red, and sparkling wines
- World-class Riesling & Sparkling expressions
- Dynamic community of independent and family-run wineries
- Soils shaped by glacial activity = unmatched mineral nuance
- Pioneering spirit, strong community, and global relevance
Signature Traits of Finger Lakes Wine
Cool-Climate Expression | Textural Sparkling Wines | Distinctive Riesling | Evolving Chardonnay & Cabernet Franc | Glacial Soils & Lake Effect | Collaboration Over Competition | Sense of Place
Taste what makes the Finger Lakes so distinct at the International White Wine Festival—where terroir, transparency, and innovation converge in the glass.
Special Guest: Lake County Winegrowers
Elevated White Wines from Lake County
Framed by volcanic ridges and the waters of Clear Lake, Lake County is one of California’s most exciting regions for expressive, high altitude white wines. With vineyards planted between 1,300 and 3,000 feet, Lake County benefits from intense sunshine, dramatic diurnal shifts, and young volcanic soils that contribute to wines with remarkable purity, structure, and vibrant aromatics.
While the region is best known for its world-class Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County’s unique topography and soil diversity also produce vibrant Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Albariño, Viognier, and other character-driven whites that continue to earn national attention.
Why Lake County White Wines Matter
- Cool mountain nights preserves acidity & enhances aromatics
- Distinctive volcanic soils create tension, minerality, & purity
- A collaborative community of family-run & independent growers
- Commitment to sustainability, innovation, and site-driven farming
- Increasing awards & recognition from critics for sense of place
Signature Traits of Lake County White Wines
High-Elevation | Volcanic Soil | Distinctive Sauvignon Blanc | Expressive Aromatic Whites | Bright Acidity & Mountain Air | Sustainable
Discover the vibrant character of Lake County’s white wines at the International White Wine Festival, where elevation, sunshine, and volcanic soils shape every sip.
Contact: (707) 279-2633 | Email: info@lakecountywinegrape.org | Website: www.lakecountywinegrape.org | Instagram: @lakecountywinegrowers
Email: lorena@vinitacora.mx | Instagram: @vinitacora_mx | Website: https://vinitacora.mx/en/
Special Guest: Lorena Hernández “Vionda” (Mexico)
Wine Professional | Author & Illustrator | Mexican Wine Ambassador in Northern California
Creator of VINITÁCORA—the most comprehensive wine-tourism guide to Mexico’s wine regions and winner of the 2025 Gourmand Award for Best Wine Guide—Lorena Hernández (Vionda) has spent her career traveling vineyards, documenting projects, and telling the stories behind Mexico’s emerging wine culture. A designer, illustrator, and author, she’s become a leading voice for travelers and wine lovers exploring Mexico’s regions.
Now based in Sonoma, she champions Mexican wine through collaborations with producers, winemakers, and events that bring Mexico’s wines to new audiences.
Why Mexico Wines Matter
- A country of contrasts: from dry desert valleys in the north to extreme-climate highlands
in the center. - 500+ active and growing wineries nationwide, with winemakers blending European tradition with a contemporary Mexican identity.
- Challenging growing conditions that lead to wines with character, structure, and
unmistakable personality. - Emerging regions (Baja California, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Coahuila, Aguascalientes)
redefining the wine landscape in Latin America.
Signature Traits of Mexico Wine
Extreme Climate | Ripe Fruit | Vibrant Acidity | Small-Production Craft | Experimental Identity | Desert & Highland Terroir
Taste Lorena’s hand-selected lineup at the festival and discover why Mexico has become one of the most exciting special guests in today’s white-wine scene.
Special Guest: Santa Lucia
Highlands, Monterey County, California
Distinguished Coastal White Wines from Monterey County
Sun, Wind & Wine; Wine. The Santa Lucia Highlands is a small but mighty winegrowing appellation in Monterey County that cultivates California’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With generations of family farming, innovation and sustainability as our legacy, our growers and vineyards have earned their place among the state’s most prestigious names for appellation and single-vineyard cool-climate varieties.
The legendary, driving wind pushes south through the Santa Lucia Highlands from the deep, cold waters of Monterey Bay nearly every day like clockwork. The wind’s impact on the grapes and resulting wines is as intense as its perpetual presence. The result: rich, silky and vibrant wines that are delicious at release, and able to go the distance in the cellar.
Why Santa Lucia Wines Matter
- Renown for Legendary Single Vineyards like Garys’ Vineyard, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, Rosella’s Vineyard, Pisoni Vineyard and more
- Vineyards on top of elevated alluvial hillside terraces rising 50-1600 feet up the Santa Lucia Highlands mountains from the valley floor below
- World-class Chardonnay & Pinot Noir from single-vineyard stunners to satisfying appellation blends from some of wine’s most well-known producers
- Windswept hillside terrain creates distinctive growing conditions that shapes deeply flavored white and red wines with mouthwatering verve
- Generational farming families with a deep respect for the land, sustainable winegrowing and agricultural roots
- One of the world’s true coastal cool-climate growing regions
Signature Traits of Santa Lucia Highlands Wine
Sun, Wind & Fog | True Coastal Cool-Climate Region | Monterey Bay Defines The Climate | Long, Even Growing Season = Consistent Quality Vintage after Vintage | Deep Alluvial Soils | Low Rainfall | Generational Farming Families | Agricultural Heart and Soul of California
Email: gwen@santaluciahighlands.com | Instagram: @slhwine | Website: www.santaluciahighlands.com/
Email: info@ddiwine.com | Instagram: @ddiwine | Website: https://vinitacora.mx/en/
Special Guest: Domaine Dardagny INC. DDI Wine (Switzerland)
Swiss Wine Ambassador in Northern California
Beyond watches, chocolate, and alpine vistas, Switzerland is home to one of Europe’s most distinctive—and least explored—white wine cultures. DDI Wine specializes in Swiss wines, making them a natural regional guest at the International White Wine Festival.
Their focus is on expressive, food-driven wines shaped by high-altitude vineyards, cool climates, and generations of small family growers. These wines are prized for their freshness, minerality, and balance—hallmarks that resonate beautifully alongside Anderson Valley’s own cool-climate whites.
Festival guests can expect to discover standout Swiss varietals rarely seen in the U.S., including Petite Arvine, Müller-Thurgau, Chasselas, and Oeil-de-Perdrix (a rosé of Pinot Noir). Together, these wines offer a rare glimpse into Switzerland’s white wine heritage and a compelling reminder that some of the world’s most exciting whites come from off-the-radar regions.
Why Swiss Wines Matter
- A country defined by altitude and precision, with vineyards carved into alpine slopes and lakefront terraces.
- An historic white-wine culture built around freshness, minerality, and food-driven balance rather than power.
- Extreme growing conditions—steep sites, glacial soils, and dramatic diurnal shifts—yield wines with tension, clarity, and character.
- Distinctive native and heritage varieties (Petite Arvine, Chasselas, Müller-Thurgau, Oeil-de-Perdrix) rarely seen outside Switzerland.
Signature Traits of Swiss Wine
High-Altitude Freshness | Alpine Minerality | Precision & Balance | Food-Driven Structure | Heritage Varieties | Mountain & Lake Terroir
Taste Switzerland’s distinctive white wines at the festival and discover why this quietly influential wine culture remains one of Europe’s most compelling—and least explored—white-wine regions.
