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Wildwood Vineyards, located along scenic Highway 12, sits between the towns of Kenwood and Glen Ellen and backs up against the Mayacamas Mountain range. Wildwood is mostly south facing and has seven microclimates. Wildwood starts at the valley floor with an elevation of 450 feet, stretching nearly two miles along Highway 12 and climbs into the Mayacamas Mountains to nearly 1,200 feet above sea level. The vineyard sits in two AVA’s – Sonoma Valley and the highly-desired Moon Mountain. With a temperate climate, warm summer days, coastal breezes and cool nights. Wildwood Vineyards produces intense, fruit-forward wines.

Wildwood was originally developed and planted by Drummond and Shaw. In 1904, it was purchased by Louis Kunde, a German immigrant and grape grower. In his first competition, Louis entered five wines in the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition where he won two golds, one silver, one bronze and two honorable mentions.

Louis, his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren have continued to live and work at Wildwood since Louis purchased the property in 1904. After Louis’s death in 1922, his son, Arthur “Big Boy” Kunde took over the winery and vineyards. Big Boy barely survived Prohibition by producing Sacramental wines. When his two sons, Bob and Fred, were drafted into the service during World War II, the property was left without labor and Bank of America foreclosed on the operation. After the war, Bob and Fred returned and with a loan from Ag Credit, re-established and expanded the Wildwood Vineyards to its present 600 acres of vineyards.

Today, Wildwood grows 19 varietals of winegrapes and encompasses nearly 1,800 acres. Some of these vineyards were planted in late 1882 by James Shaw. These sought-after old vines produce smooth, deep, full-bodied wines. The original Zinfandel vines continue to flourish. Unfortunately, the original Drummond Cabernet vineyard is gone but the old vines have been replaced by cuttings propagated from the original vineyard and their heritage lives on.

In 2015, Bob Kunde’s son, Keith Kunde, purchased his cousin’s shares of Arthur Kunde Sons, Inc., the family farming company that owned and managed Wildwood Vineyards. Today, Keith’s farming company, Dirt Farmer & Company, and his Kunde family partners maintain and manage Wildwood Vineyards.