Founders and Owners
Michael and Abbie LeComte have had a love for wine before they even met. Michael's first exposure to fine wines started when he was a server at Ocean Grill Restaurant on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. He was fascinated by learning the history of Old World and New World wines and comparing their flavors across different regions and varietals. Michael began to take wine classes to learn more and eventually taught classes for the staff at the B.R. Guest Restaurant Group. When Michael moved to San Jose, he met Abbie, who was finishing Grad School. Before Abbie and Michael met, Abbie too had enjoyed wine and she had taken a Wine Appreciation Course at San Jose State University to develop her knowledge. Once Michael and Abbie met, they quickly became aware for their shared love for wines and join local Wine Passports to visit and learn more about local wineries. In 2016, Michael decided to take their love of wine to the next level and decided to produce their own label. They were fortunate to source their first set of grapes from a family vineyard in Geyserville. Then, worked with a local winemaker in San Jose to help produce their first vintage and Oak Tree Winery grew from there!
Winemaker - Niklas Zorn
Nik Zorn brings more than a decade of experience working with a plethora of varietals and diverse climates from Germany to South Africa. Most recently, he has spent the last five years mastering his craft in the vineyards and cellars of Guglielmo Winery. His winemaking is focused on simplicity and letting the varietals and vineyards shine through. Zorn holds a Diplom Ingenieur in Viticulture and Enology from the University of Geisenheim, where he focused on organic and biodynamic viticulture. As winemaker, Zorn oversees all production and winemaking operations for Oak Tree Winery,
Oak Tree Winery Name
When we began to start this label, we wanted to be creative and come up with a unique, catchy name. We tried lots of options and none of them worked and just didn't sound right. So, we took a different approach, since our first set of grapes came from Monson Vineyards, we thought it would be nice to reference something their symbolized this great vineyard. There is one thing that stands out, the enormous old Oak Trees that stand out around the property. Now, to find a name using Oak Tree in it. We tried Big Oak Tree, Old Oak Tree and Gnarly Oak Tree. These names were either taken or just didn't sound right. In a last ditch effort, we thought, lets keep it simple and try, Oak Tree Winery. To our surprise, there was no other Oak Tree Winery listed anywhere in the world, it was a sign, and the name stuck! We couldn't be happier with the name and its simple, elegant and strong, with meaning and purpose -- Oak Tree Winery!