PROJECT OKURASE

Sera Bybee, Daughter, Assistant Winegrower / VideoBlog Editor and our inspiration, is a studient at the Internatiol School in Lyon France in an International Baccaluarette program. She formerlly was a student at Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm where her curriculum included hands-on coursework on biodynamic farming and gardening since kindergarten. She kept a flock of 20 chickens prducing organic eggs for the family and manure for the garden compost. She was head puppy trainer and kitty wrangler. Sera worked her first harvest in 2006 and is an expert cluster sorter. She has a knack for editing the videoblogs on her Mac. She helps the rest of the B people see the project through the eyes of the next generation and remember why we put sustainability and the environment above all else. Our proprietor's blend SERA Pinot Noir is named in honor of her essence and beauty and she was named with the Italian word for eve. "Bella Sera"

Jose Lorenzo, Property Manager & Foreman is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Mexico City. He is a 20-year resident of Sonoma County living with his wife and four children in Santa Rosa. Jose has over 30 years experience working on agricultural properties, caring for equipment, infrastructure, animals, crops and the land. He has been employed with the Bybees for over 10 years and has a dedicated work ethic and an attention to detail. Jose takes pride in organized and efficiently completed tasks and oversees the day-to-day hands-on implementation of the organic and biodynamic practices on the B estate.

Gerald Bybee, CEO, Winegrower, manages the vineyards, habitat, water resources and infrastructure at B. He also oversees the promotion and online marketing efforts and hosting of guests and clients at the B estate home in Sebastopol. Gerald is an award-winning advertising photographer, digital imager and fine-artist. With a degree and background in communications, public relations and advertising Gerald brings to B over 30 years of experience producing commercial imagery and photographic campaigns for such clients as Intel, HP, Adobe, Levis, Sutter Home, Mondavi, and Gallo. Gerald also works as a visual marketing and digital imaging consultant and photographic forensic expert witness.

Shaun Bybee, CFO & director of winemaking ~ Passionate for a healthy environment, and an avid supporter of local small-scale organic farming, Shaun personally directed the transition to organic and biodynamic practices on the Bybee estate. She is blessed with a naturally green thumb and a sensitivity to the health of the land, wild life, and all living things around her. She co-ordinates and directs the consultants and winemakers at B. Her intuition and keen palette directly influence the winemaking that occurs both in the field and in the cellar. Shaun studied business at the University of Utah, is a former model, beauty stylist for Diego Dalla Palma Makeup Studio in Milan, CEO of Make-up Studio U.S.A., and producer for Bybee Studios in San Francisco. She has served as treasurer of the San Francisco Creative Alliance, a non-profit arts association. and President of the board at Summerfield Waldorf School in Santa Rosa. She is CFO, director of winemaking at B, and mother extraordinaire to daughter Sera. Shaun, during the school year, resides and works remotely in Lyon, France with daughter Sera who is finishing an International Baccalaureate Degree.

Hugh Chappelle, Consulting Winemaker brings more than 15 years of winemaking experience in Napa, Sonoma the Sierra Foothills, and most recently Green Valley, to his work as consulting winemaker for Bybee Vineyards and Habitat. Chappelle's wines are known for their balance and expression of terroir; two qualities which are important to our winemaking philosophy. Hugh purchased some of the first fruit produced at B as director of winemaking at the nearby Lynmar Estate. He has been a supporter and advocate of our organic and biodynamic efforts. Hugh was head winemaker for Flowers Vineyard and Winery, a Pinot Noir specialist in the Sonoma Coast appellation. Under his direction Flowers received considerable acclaim from Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, and Decanter, as well as receiving Wine & Spirits Magazine's Artisan Winery of the Year distinction. Prior to Flowers, Chappelle was winemaker at Madroña Vineyards in the El Dorado County appellation. Chappelle holds a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Cruz and has done extensive graduate studies in viticulture and enology at University of California, Davis, from 1989 to 1992.