Grower Spotlight: Bruce Regalia

Photo credit: Karen Pavone

Becoming a Lake County winegrape grower is a learned art that often first takes root elsewhere. It was this circuitous path that eventually brought grower and winemaker Bruce Regalia to Wild Diamond Vineyards in Lower Lake.

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant and Soil Science and Botany at California State University, Chico, Bruce began his agricultural career in pest-control management.

“I started out working as an entomologist for a large farm company in the northern Sacramento Valley that grew walnuts, peaches, and prunes,” he says of his beginnings.

“The Farm,” as it was known, was founded by Leland Stanford (namesake of Stanford University) in 1876 and had expanded over the years to more than 8,000 acres of orchards, horses, and vineyards.

“That was where I got my first taste of winemaking,” he recalls, when he and his friend and employer began experimenting with grapes grown on the property in their spare time. It was the early 1990s, and he was hooked.

Bruce then worked his way up to the position of vineyard manager, which eventually led him to a job on a ranch in the heart of Anderson Valley. Word spread that he had been honing his winemaking skills, and the owner talked him into taking over the role.

The successful collaboration continued until 1996, when Bruce was approached by Duckhorn Vineyards CEO Alex Ryan, who offered him a job. He seized the opportunity and launched the Goldeneye brand as winemaker in 1996, which would become renowned for producing world-class Pinot Noir.

Then, in early 2000, he received a call from Robert Bowling, a Florida-based businessman with a long-held dream: to own and operate a winery. He and his wife, Dawn, had been searching for more than two decades for the perfect property before stumbling upon Wild Diamond Vineyards in neighboring Lake County. “You should come check it out,” a friend prompted.

Officially founded in 2012, Wild Diamond Vineyards now has approximately 105 acres planted to Bordeaux and Rhône-style red varietals, plus a Spanish Old World white varietal, Albariño. The name is derived from the presence of Lake County diamonds (also known as “moon tears”) found in the volcanic soil on the property. These semi-precious, gem-quality quartz crystals, resembling diamonds in the raw, are unique to Lake County.

The vineyards rest at 2,260 feet elevation, which provides sun intensity during the day and cooler temperatures at night. These ideal conditions enable the grapes to develop thicker skins and larger seeds that enhance the body, structure, and intensity of Wild Diamond’s wines. The vineyards are Certified Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.

The modular tasting room, constructed from converted and fully outfitted shipping containers, sits on a hilltop with expansive vineyard views that stretch to Lake Berryessa on a clear day.

Only about five percent of the fruit grown in this vineyard is used in their private-label wines (Wild Diamond, Dumb Luck, and Moon Tears), with the remaining 95 percent sold under contract.

Bruce, who spends part of each year in Spain, was also inspired to experiment with making “orange wine,” a popular Spanish style produced by fermenting white grapes with their skins and seeds. This method extracts color, tannins, and texture from the skins, resulting in a wine with a golden to amber hue and a more robust flavor profile than typical white wine.

“Our climate in Lake County is remarkably similar to parts of Spain,” he explains. “That sparked my curiosity. I decided to experiment with the technique using some of our Albariño, and I am really enjoying the results. Orange wine offers something distinctive and intriguing that many U.S. consumers have yet to explore.”

Today, Bruce continues to channel his passion for both farming and winemaking into every vintage at Wild Diamond Vineyards. His journey from pest management in the orchards of the Sacramento Valley to crafting distinctive wines in the volcanic soils of Lake County reflects the resilience and creativity that define the region’s growers. For Bruce, each bottle is not only the result of hard work and expertise but also a celebration of the land and community that make Lake County wines truly unique.

Photo credit: Karen Pavone