Brandlin Estate (Winemaker)

Mojave Wines (Winemaker & Owner)

Rebecca (Becky) George is a native Californian who grew up in the Owens Valley in the eastern California’s Mojave Desert and characterizes herself as a “desert girl” at heart. She spent much of her youth exploring petroglyph-lined canyons and trekking through landscapes dense with wildflowers. These experiences gave her a lifelong appreciation of the outdoors and the biological sciences.

Heading for the University of California, Davis, intending to pursue the biosciences, a course on winemaking made her consider changing her career goals entirely. She made certain of her decision by taking time off to get her hands dirty as a harvest cellar intern in Napa Valley. This hooked her on winemaking, and she ultimately earned a B.S. degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis, in 2005.

During her undergraduate years, she spent a full year at the University of Adelaide studying viticulture and oenology from the Australian viewpoint. She also travelled to France, where, as she says, she tasted “some amazing wines, including a barrel sampling at DRC (Domaine de la Romanée-Conti),” which she didn’t realize was “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Becky applied for and won a coveted fellowship from the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, which allowed her to return to Burgundy and work a harvest internship at Domaine Meo-Camuzet, a celebrated domain located in the heart of Vosne-Romanee. This was followed by a second internship, this time in the laboratory at Yarra Burn in Australia.

Upon her return to the States in mid-2006, Becky was a harvest intern at Williams Selyem Winery in Sonoma until later that year, which was followed by a three and one-half yeaar stint at Schramsberg Vineyards as assistant winemaker. Following brief stays at Marcassin Wine Company and Pott Wine, she landed at Kelly Fleming Wines in early 2011, initially as assistant winemaker. Becky became its winemaker in 2013 and remained there until mid-2021, at which time she added Brandlin Estate in Napa as its associate winemaker. She was named winemaker at Brandlin three years later. On her own behalf, she’s in the process of producing a Pinot Noir under her own label, Mojave Wines.

Becky finds her biggest challenges as a winemaker are learning to listen and trusting her gut instincts. She believes that these two goals are appropriate as well for life in general. She expresses her feelings about Brandlin as follows: "There is so much history at Brandlin Estate. Our vineyard has excelled for almost a century because it produces wines that are as unique as they are extraordinary. Crafting wines that embody the essence of this place, this mountain, is both a privilege and a pleasure."

When not at the winery, Becky likes to hike in the mountains, take dance classes, roam about San Francisco, hang out with friends, and drink wine.