Adam Lee

Adam Lee grew up in Austin, Texas as the only adopted child of two older Southern Baptist parents. As such, he was one of the most unlikely people to become a well-known winemaker. Adam attended Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and there studied French history, specializing in the comparative history of the French and American prison systems. That, also, wasn’t a path to a winemaking career, but a summer trip, with a fellow student, to Sonoma County which would ultimately changed Adam's career path.

After college, Adam took a job at a wine store called Austin Wine & Spirits. He moved up quickly, eventually becoming President of the three-store chain. He also worked briefly on the floor of a restaurant selling wine and in wine wholesale. In 1993 Adam moved to Northern California and, a year later, co-founded Siduri Wines.  As fortune would have it, wine writer Robert Parker loved that first wine – the 1994 Siduri Rose Vineyard Pinot Noir, rating it as one of the Top 10 Pinot Noirs produced in California that year. Siduri Wines was born with those 107 cases.

Over the next two decades, Siduri Wines grew to over 25,000 cases, producing Pinot Noir from Oregon to Santa Barbara County. The wines were universally acclaimed, and Adam became known as one of California’s experts in the production of Pinot Noir. In 2015, he sold Siduri Wines to Jackson Family Winery with Adam continuing on as a consultant.

In 2017, Adam started Clarice Wine Company; named after his grandmother and produced in a manner similar to his grandmother’s way of cooking. Clarice Wine Company quickly became a critical darling receiving remarkable press from Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Spectator, Antonio Galloni’s Vinous, the Wine Enthusiast, and the Washington Post. Two years later, Adam teamed up with famed French winemaker and Grenache specialist, Philippe Cambie. Together, they started Beau Marchais Winery, producing Philippe’s first ever Pinot Noir. These wines have also received great critical acclaim, including most recently Robb Reports "Pinot Noir of the Year". Along with Adam working with Morét Brealynn Wines, Adam consults with multiple other wineries in Sonoma and Napa Valley, helping winemakers hone their preferred style of Pinot Noir and pairing them with amazing growers and winemaking techniques.

With all this wine activity, it is difficult to believe that he finds time to do anything else – but somehow Adam finds the time to hit the golf course, occasionally ride his Peloton, and hang out with his three children.