Ivan Giotenov
Winemaker, Carmel Road

Ivan Giotenov has been around wine all of his life. For generations his family has owned vineyards in southern Bulgaria. But it wasn't wine that Ivan intended to study when he left home for the University of Plovdiv.

"At first I did not choose winemaking as a major. I went to university to study chemistry. After two years I decided this is not what I wanted to do." After earning his Masters of Science, Ivan worked for a number of wineries in Bulgaria, Australia and California's Sierra Foothills. He joined Carmel Road in 1999, first as enologist, then assistant winemaker and eventually winemaker.

When asked what makes Carmel Road so special, Ivan responds, "Monterey is a gem. The cool breezes that sweep the vineyards every day - preserving the delicate flavors in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The decomposed granite and sandy loam soils of the Santa Lucia and Gabilan mountain foothills. The elegance, finesse and minerality of the fruit. At Carmel Road we use traditional winemaking techniques to preserve the character of our terroir. Our ultimate goal is to create elegant, complex wines that are true to their terroir."