Our Story

“Our Roots are in the Earth”

Why the Deering Name? Blair is a descendant of the Deering McCormick family, early developers of farming technologies. William Deering, Blair’s Great, Great, Great Grandfather, moved the family from Paris, Maine, where he had run the family’s woolen mill, to Illinois in 1873. There he purchased a farm equipment manufacturer and renamed it the Deering Harvester Company. His reapers enabled farmers to substantially increase productivity, playing a significant part in the country’s agricultural growth. The 1902 merger with McCormick Reaper Company and others formed International Harvester, the largest farm equipment manufacturer in the world.

Todd’s family has also been involved in farming for hundreds of years. The family started farming in Austria, and then migrated to Colorado in the mid 1800’s. Unfortunately, the Dust Bowl made dirt farming and ranching in Colorado impossible. Family members then began harvesting ice. They created ponds in the Rocky Mountains and harvested starting New Years Day, selling it to the railroads and stockyards in Denver.

Today, we continue the dedication to improving agricultural practices and the love of farming started by our ancestors’ centuries ago. Todd’s passion has always been working with his hands, whether it was crabbing on Alaskan fish boats, building titanium racing bicycles or creating intricate woodwork in Colorado. But his biggest passion and fascination has been with beverages. As a child, Todd would mix fruit juices to develop the best flavor combination and in later years he brewed beer in his family’s garage. When he moved to the Bay Area, a passion for wine began. While working in San Francisco during the day, he took night courses on winemaking and grape growing in Napa at night.

In 2004, we decided to combine our shared love for drinking wine with Todd’s passion for growing grapes. We moved our young family to Sonoma County, purchased vineyard land and began the adventure. Today, you will see Todd in the fields and working with the winemaker. In addition to being a full time mom, Blair can be found behind the scenes leveraging her master’s degree to help manage the day-to-day aspects of the business.

At Deering, our farming heritage and family's history in America’s agricultural past are important to us. We are proud of our wines and excited to share them with you. We hope that you enjoy them today and in the years to come.

Co-Proprietors, Blair & Todd Maus