La Crema was founded in 1979 as La Crema Viñera, "the best of the vine", by a group of wine lovers who believed Russian River Valley had the potential to produce world-class cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay long before that was the conventional wisdom. Founding winemaker Rod Berglund used Burgundian techniques (whole-cluster pressing, open-top fermentation, native yeast) that still anchor the house style. Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke acquired the winery in 1993 and brought in a roster of top winemakers including Dan Goldfield and Jeff Stewart, building the program into one of America's best-known Pinot houses.
Saralee's Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley: barrel-fermented estate Chardonnay with white peach, baked apple, and a long, toasty finish.
Saralee's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley: red cherry, raspberry, and cola with spice; the estate's signature site.
Nine Barrel Chardonnay, Russian River Valley: the pinnacle bottling, blended from the top nine barrels of three prized vineyards.
Nine Barrel Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley: the flagship Pinot, same top-nine-barrel selection.
Saralee's Vineyard Blanc de Blancs: an estate-grown traditional-method sparkling rounding out the Saralee's collection.
In 2013 La Crema purchased the storied Saralee's Vineyard, planted by Richard Kunde and his wife Saralee McClelland Kunde, and spent three years restoring the property's 1900 hop-drying barn into a multi-level tasting room. The estate reopened in 2016 as La Crema Estate at Saralee's Vineyard, with regenerative farming experiments, seated tastings overlooking the vines, and an outdoor patio. Head winemaker Craig McAllister, with the winery since 2009, leads the program, joined by winemakers Lisa Valtenbergs and Eric Johannsen. La Crema was named Wine Enthusiast's American Winery of the Year in 2024.
