Join us for an experience at the iconic Hallberg Ranch and discover the epic views, relaxing atmosphere, and exquisite Pinot Noirs. Whether you enjoy a casual Estate Tasting, or want to take a deep dive into how we make our wines with a tour of our vineyard and winery, we’ll create the perfect experience for your group..
Kirk Lokka has a well-earned reputation as one of the most accomplished and respected vineyard managers in North America. He has brought a meticulous level of detail and thoughtfulness to planning and planting Emeritus’ estate vineyards. This visionary approach includes dry farming at both vineyards—further elevating the remarkable quality of our California Pinot Noir fruit.
Kirk was born and raised in Sonoma. He first decided on a career in farming at age eight, while riding the tractor at his grandfather’s farm. After receiving his degree in plant science from Fresno State University, he worked on a large cotton farm in Corcoran, California. There, he learned two important things: he did not want to grow cotton, nor to work in the Central Valley. As soon as he could, he moved home to Sonoma County and took a job as a foreman at Sonoma–Cutrer in 1981. His knowledge and dedication quickly earned him the promotion to vineyard manager.
During his 23-year career at Sonoma–Cutrer, Kirk oversaw over 1,200 acres of estate vineyards, including the planting of acclaimed Vine Hill and Owsley Ranch vineyards. Throughout this period, Kirk also helped found the Russian River Valley Winegrowers association, where he served as two-time president. Sonoma County named him “Agri-Business Person of the Year” in 1997.
While at Sonoma–Cutrer, Kirk became good friends with the winery’s founder, Brice Cutrer Jones. They discovered Hallberg Ranch in the mid-90s and coveted it until 1999, when Brice sold Sonoma–Cutrer. When founding Emeritus together, Brice and Kirk did so with the goal of establishing the finest Pinot Noir vineyard in California. Several members of Kirk’s vineyard crew followed him to Emeritus, forming the core of our acclaimed 17-person, full-time vineyard team.
“As a vineyard manager, it is incredibly rare when you are given the perfect piece of land to plant a vineyard, and all of the resources necessary to do it exactly the way you know it should be done.”
In 2007, Kirk and Brice took inspiration from their friends in Burgundy began transitioning into dry farming at Hallberg Ranch. The following year, Kirk began planting Pinot Hill, a smaller estate vineyard located in the Sebastopol Hills. Dry farming both vineyards established Emeritus as a viticultural leader. Today the two vineyards combined give Emeritus over 140 acres, forming the largest dry-farmed Pinot Noir estate in Sonoma County. Possibly in all of California! In acknowledgment of his pioneering work at Emeritus, the Sonoma County Winegrowers Association honored Kirk as the “Sonoma County Grower of the Year” in 2017.
Kirk lives on Hallberg Ranch with his wife. He raises sheep and goats at his house, occasionally running the sheep in the vineyard to mow and fertilize. A firm believer in passing on his knowledge to future generations, Kirk avidly supports local 4-H clubs and wine country ag programs.
“Emeritus means to earn through service. I chose the name because Emeritus is the culmination of everything I have learned about wine throughout my life. But I also chose it because what we are striving to achieve is something unique and special. It is a goal that has to be earned. Everyone here believes passionately in what we are doing. This spirit is an essential part of our wines.”
As the son and grandson of West Point officers, Brice learned to fly when he was just 13 years old. He attended the brand new Air Force Academy and graduated as part of the second class ever in 1961. In 1965, after serving as a fighter pilot in Vietnam, Brice was appointed aide-de-camp to the general in charge of the Vietnam air war. The general also happened to be an avid wine enthusiast.
“One of the things I learned from him was how little I knew about wine. But the hook was set, and when I retired from the Air Force, I left with a passion for wine.”
Returning to the United States, Brice attended Harvard Business School for the knowledge needed to establish his own vineyard. After earning his MBA in 1972, he founded Sonoma–Cutrer Vineyards. Within the year he was planting estate vineyards in Sonoma County, focusing exclusively on Chardonnay. This made him an early pioneer in the white wine boom that quickly reshaped the American wine landscape. Over the next quarter century Brice established more than 1,000 acres of Chardonnay and built Sonoma–Cutrer into one of America’s most acclaimed wineries. He also developed enduring friendships with some of the most esteemed vintners in Burgundy. In 1999, he was inducted into the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin at a special ceremony at Clos de Vougeot.
That same year, Brice sold Sonoma–Cutrer Vineyards. Some might have embraced the moment as an opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Brice, however, immediately began writing a remarkable new chapter in a story that has already seen him go from being an Air Force pilot to one of America’s most respected vintners.
He purchased Hallberg Ranch and founded Emeritus Vineyards with no intention of planting the grape he had built his reputation on. Instead, he had his heart set on creating a new benchmark for New World Pinot Noir. Unlike many California vintners, he has no qualms about citing Burgundy as the inspiration for Emeritus.
“Over the years, the things I have learned about growing and making Pinot Noir from my friends and colleagues in Burgundy have been incredibly eye-opening. While it’s been amazing to see what North America has accomplished over the past 50 years, the French have been refining their methods for more than 1,300 years.”
As the founder of Emeritus Vineyards, Brice has dedicated two decades to establishing one of California’s finest Pinot Noir estates. Today, his daughter Mari and the Emeritus Team makes some of the New World’s most dynamic and complex Pinot Noirs from more than 140 acres of vines spread between two grand cru-caliber, dry-farmed vineyards.
“Emeritus means to earn through service. I chose the name because Emeritus is the culmination of everything I have learned about wine throughout my life. But I also chose it because what we are striving to achieve is something unique and special. It is a goal that has to be earned. Everyone here believes passionately in what we are doing. This spirit is an essential part of our wines.”
As president, Mari Jones oversees all aspects of Emeritus Vineyards. Like her father, Brice Cutrer Jones, Mari believes in a collaborative approach that empowers the talented Emeritus team. She works closely with Vineyard Manager Kirk Lokka and Winemaker Dave Lattin to cultivate high standards of excellence at Emeritus.
Mari grew up playing, camping, and even learning to drive on the Sonoma–Cutrer Estate. At the age of 12, she took her first trip to Burgundy with her father to buy barrels. It was there where Mari discovered Pinot Noir. In a centuries-old cellar, she turned to her father with a glass of Pinot in hand and told him, “This wine is better than yours. You should make wine like this.” Brice was speechless (and in complete agreement).
“That experience gave me a new perspective on my family business. It was also when I fell in love with Pinot Noir.”
Though an early passion for wine had been instilled in Mari, she was eager to chart her own path. After earning a philosophy degree at Colgate University, she moved to Colorado and worked at the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program. In 2012, after years of giving her father advice from afar, he invited Mari to return to wine country to build a tasting room. Over the next three years, Mari oversaw the design and construction of the Emeritus tasting room, and in 2017, USA Today named Emeritus the “#1 Winery Tour in the USA.” She also founded our E-Club, which in the years since has grown into a thriving community of wine enthusiasts.
“From the beginning, we’ve strived to create experiences and build relationships that are personal and meaningful. More than just sharing our wines, we want to share who we are, what we do, and why we love doing it. The more I focused on these goals, the more I knew that Emeritus was something that I wanted to be a part of for decades to come.”
As the dedicated second generation to our family-run winery, Mari is active in the wine community. She believes in the power of educating consumers and trade about the beauty of her region, and that together the community can accomplish more than any one individual. She is on the board of directors for the Russian River Valley Winegrowers and Russian River Valley Pinot Forum. She works with the Sonoma County Vintners International Committee to sell and promote Sonoma County wines all over the world. She also works with the Sonoma County Vintners New Gen Committee, who work to create a collaborative environment for young winemakers and owners, and to promote Sonoma County to the next generation of wine enthusiasts. Mari is a mentor to up-and-coming wine professionals through The Verasion Project and Batonnage. In part due to this work she was named one of the ’40 Under 40′ by the North Bay Business Journal in 2022.
At the winery, Mari works with the team to produce the most elegant expressions of Pinot Noir from our vineyards. These wines match the complexity and depth of the ones she first fell in love with in Burgundy, but with a style that’s all California (much like herself). She approaches her role with a long-term vision of sustainability in every sense, from the land to our Emeritus family and beyond.
When not at the winery or traveling the world to share Emeritus, you can find Mari snowboarding, hiking with her dog Mocha or volunteering.
