ABOUT BROC

OUR STORY

Chris Brockway started making wine because he believed California wines could be different.

Zinfandel had pulled him west from Omaha, but what he found was a state focused on bigger, riper, higher-alcohol wines. He wanted something else: fresh, organically farmed wines made with native fermentations that feel good on a weeknight and still hold up on a special occasion.

From one barrel to more than 20 releases a year, that idea hasn’t changed much. In 2023, we took the next step and became owners of Fox Hill Vineyard in Mendocino.

A man and woman stand before Fox Hill Vineyard’s rolling hills. He wears glasses and black; she smiles in white. They enjoy The Fox Hill Collection from Broc Cellars, crafted from estate-grown Italian varietals on this organic property.

BROC'S PHILOSOPHY

Farming

All grapes are organically farmed. We use cover crops for soil health and water retention. Sheep manage ground cover. We harvest early to hold onto acidity and keep alcohol lower.

Fermentation

We ferment with native yeasts and bacteria from the grapes themselves. Nothing is added during fermentation: no nutrients, enzymes, commercial yeast, or sulfur. We may add a small amount of sulfur at bottling depending on the wine and vintage.

Intention

We want the wine to taste like where the grapes came from. That means working with single vineyards and letting the grapes speak for themselves.

From Negociant to Vigneron

FOX HILL VINEYARD

A vineyard in Mendocino we began sourcing from in 2013. In 2023, we became owners and stewards of the site. It is the first vineyard Broc farms directly, and it received CCOF organic certification in 2024.

LEARN MORE

Our wine journey

2002
Chris makes his first barrel of wine in Berkeley.
2004
Production grows to 14 barrels, and Broc begins selling wine commercially.
2006
Broc Cellars releases its first vintage, Vine Starr Zinfandel from Arrowhead Vineyard in Sonoma. Lighter-bodied, fruit-driven, and shaped by the wines that inspired Chris to start.
2008
Broc moves into a dedicated space in Berkeley’s Gilman District, one block from where we are today.
2009 & 2010
Broc releases two defining early vintages: carbonic Carignan, whole-cluster Cabernet Franc from Happy Canyon (later Koukou), and early skin-contact whites like Roussanne.
2013
Broc is featured in The New California Wine by Jon Bonné. Marta Elise Johansen begins designing Broc labels, beginning a long creative partnership.
2014
Chris is profiled in The New York Times article “Fruit of the Bartered Vine,” bringing broader attention to Broc.
2015
Bridget Leary, Chris's partner, joins Broc as General Manager to help grow the vision for the winery and tasting room.
A family of four stands on a dirt path in a vineyard. A man and woman hold a toddler, with an older child standing beside them. The background features rows of grapevines and distant hills under a partly cloudy sky.
2020
Broc launches its signature glassware line designed for everyday drinking.
2021
Chris takes over farming operations at Fox Hill Vineyard in Mendocino, harvesting Italian varietals like Nero d'Avola, Trebbiano, and Dolcetto.
2023
Broc becomes owner and steward of Fox Hill Vineyard and hosts the first Friends of Fox Hill event with fellow winemakers sourcing from Fox Hill.
2024
Fox Hill Vineyard receives CCOF organic certification, formalizing sustainable farming practices that had been in place for years.
2025
Broc releases its first vintages of Fox Hill Brachetto and Nebbiolo.