Winemakers
David Akiyoshi
A second-generation winemaker, David is a 35-year industry veteran who graduated from the University of California, Davis. As Director of Winemaking at Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, he led a team of enologists in creating and evolving their wine style to improve the quality of Woodbridge wines. He helped pioneer winegrower lot processing for direct wine quality feedback, supported barrel aging of premium wines for enhanced quality, and drove stylistic winemaking in hundreds of different wines. David’s winemaking philosophy stems directly from Robert Mondavi himself, driving continuous improvements while nurturing a respect for both winegrape and wine. Today, his belief in true varietal expression and wine’s natural marriage with food makes him a pivotal member of the LangeTwins team.
Karen Birmingham
It was her love of wine, food, science, and nature that first attracted Karen to winemaking. She was formally introduced to wine as a research assistant at Washington State University, where she concentrated on wine fermentation for her MS in Food Science after she completed her BS in Microbiology. Originally from Sacramento, she moved back to California and took a job at Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi before joining the LangeTwins team in 2008. Karen takes a technical approach to winemaking, creating wines with balanced acidity and varietal complexity. She believes that less interference crafts beautiful wines.
Susy Vasquez
Hailing from Bolivia, Susy’s winemaking career began with an interest in plant physiology – earning a degree from Universidad Mayor de San Simon. An impressive career began in California shortly after, rising to overseeing entire wine programs. Susy’s favorite challenge is working with the natural product and understanding that the vineyards can deliver something different each year. To Susy, the perfect wine doesn’t exist. Each wine presents its own unique challenge from vintage to vintage. Ultimately, the most important goal is to craft a wine that leaves the customer desiring a second glass.