Ryan started his career in the wine business pruning in the vineyard, working the bottling line, and cleaning glasses over his middle school and high school summers.

Growing up in the Napa Valley, Ryan was surrounded by the wine business from a young age. In fact, Ryan spent his early years going to work with his Mother at a winery.

“He just grew up with an obsession about everything that was happening at the winery. Always had questions, curious to understand the day to day, or why the vineyard looked a certain way.” – Shannon Darrall

Ryan then started working in the cellar, this is where his passion for wine really started. Some may not call it the prettiest work, but Ryan fell in love with the process. Dragging hoses, digging pomace out of tanks, fermenting and barreling down wines.

“Harvest is an amazing time, there is always the excitement of what the wines will turn out like, but you are quickly reminded of the tedious effort that goes into it. Then after a while, you just relax into the moment and the day to day grind and get the work done. I love that feeling of presence and focus the winery brings” -RD

Throughout his 20s, Ryan worked in the winery during harvest time, managed Southern California sales in the off season and started a small Napa wine brand, from which he learned about building a wine business.

Suisun Valley (“Su-Soon”) is now his focus, and he couldn’t be more excited for the development of this beautiful place. A hidden gem just twenty minutes from the city of Napa, with climate and soils very similar to where he grew up. Ryan has joined a tight knit community of amazing farmers and winemakers in the Suisun Valley. Aiming the help the Suisun Valley grow and show as many people as possible what a gorgeous place this is.