The new year marks an exciting milestone for Ancient Peaks—the 20th anniversary since our winery’s founding in 2005!
It seems like just yesterday that we were sketching out our dream of starting a family winery. Join us as we now look back at the landmark moments that got us from there to here.
2005 – Born of a Dream
Three local friends and co-owners of Santa Margarita Ranch—Doug Filipponi, Karl Wittstrom and Rob Rossi—decide to embark on a shared dream of starting their own family winery. They choose the name Ancient Peaks, which honors the striking mountains that border the ranch’s estate Margarita Vineyard. The wines are put into the care of Mike Sinor, who becomes Founding Winemaker at Ancient Peaks. The inaugural 2005 vintage marks the first releases of classic Ancient Peaks estate wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc.
2006 – A Rising Star
The 2006 vintage sees the creation of our first-ever Oyster Ridge red blend, a Bordeaux-style cuvée crafted to represent our finest winemaking efforts. Meanwhile, the 2006 Zinfandel goes on to earn 93 points in Wine Spectator, putting Ancient Peaks on the map as a rising star in Paso Robles. Things are happening fast!
2008 – Rancho Hospitality & Renegade Spirit
With distribution growing and Paso Robles gaining popularity as a destination, the time comes to open the Ancient Peaks tasting room—a place where we can introduce people to our wines and practice our commitment to “early California rancho hospitality.” It’s the new place to be in downtown Santa Margarita. This year also marks the first vintage of Renegade, the rule-breaking red blend that has become an Ancient Peaks icon.
2010 – Mindfully Grown Wines
We achieve SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certification for Margarita Vineyard, affirming that our estate meets the highest standards of sustainable winegrowing practices. This certification is a milestone in our ongoing and ever-evolving effort to create wholesome wines that are mindful of our environment.
2011 – Adventure Is Calling
Karl, Doug and Rob open Margarita Adventures, a sister operation specializing in zipline tours that soar over Margarita Vineyard. Margarita Adventures reflects their commitment to “agritourism” as a way to connect more people to the land and to provide a uniquely thrilling experience for wine lovers and adventure enthusiasts alike. Margarita Adventures later expands into nature tours, escape rooms and eBike vineyard rides.
2013 – Here to Stay
Stewart Cameron is promoted from Assistant Winemaker to Winemaker. Stewart started at Ancient Peaks in 2006 and steadily worked his way up the ranks under the guidance of Founding Winemaker Mike Sinor. To this day, Stewart and Mike still hold these respective positions at Ancient Peaks. Talk about staying power!
2014 – A Singular Terroir
The Santa Margarita Ranch American Viticultural Area (AVA) is officially recognized as one of 11 sub-appellations of Paso Robles, reflecting the uniqueness of the terroir and wines of Ancient Peaks. Margarita Vineyard stands alone and apart as the southernmost vineyard in the Paso Robles region, just 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean—making it worthy of its own singular AVA.
2015 – Ranch to Table
We open our expanded new tasting room which now includes the Ancient Peaks Café, specializing in seasonal lunch fare and ranch-to-table cuisine. Now you have an extra reason to come taste and stay a while!
2016 – Made with Sunshine
We open the Ancient Peaks Barn as a premier weddings and events venue in the heart of Margarita Vineyard. We also double down on our commitment to sustainability with a $1 million investment in two solar plants at Margarita Vineyard (later expanded to four), which generate more electricity than the vineyard operations consume. We can now say our wines are made with Paso Robles sunshine!
2017 – Always Evolving
We plant our new Quarry section of Margarita Vineyard, which is located along the northernmost area of the property. This extension of Margarita Vineyard features tight vine spacing, premium clones and slightly warmer growing conditions that bring a new dimension to the Ancient Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon experience. Other varieties planted at the Quarry section include Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Primitivo.
2019 – Fresh New Digs
Winemaker Stewart Cameron and his team move into a new winery facility in Paso Robles with expanded capacity and state-of-the-art winemaking technology. The new solar-powered winery ultimately reflects an ongoing commitment to maximizing wine quality and energy efficiency.
2021 – A Crowning Cabernet
Our passion for Cabernet Sauvignon reaches new heights with the release of our first-ever Pearl Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2017 vintage, representing the pinnacle of Ancient Peaks winemaking. This limited small-lot wine comes from the finest Cabernet blocks at Margarita Vineyard, showcasing Paso Robles as a world-class region for the variety.
2024 – An Incomparable Legacy
Santa Margarita Ranch celebrates the 250th anniversary since its founding in 1774 by Franciscan missionaries. The padres grew grapevines and made wine here, sparking a legacy that continues to this day. At the end of 2024, the ranch’s historic Santa Margarita Barn is joined with the Ancient Peaks Barn under a shared special events platform at www.SMRevents.com, serving weddings and other private occasions.
2025 – More to Come
We are excited to celebrate 20 years of Ancient Peaks and can confidently say that the best is yet to come!