People Matter

The Proprietors
Bernard Lacroute and Ronni Lacroute are the co-owners of WillaKenzie Estate.  They met as graduate students at the University of Michigan.  After many years of living on the East Coast and in California, they purchased their ideal Pinot site in January 1991; a beautiful 420-acre ranch in Yamhill County, Oregon.  They have since divorced, but sharing a passion for Pinot, they continue their collaborative business partnership actively guiding all aspects of grape growing and winemaking by WillaKenzie Estate.

 

The Winemaker
Thibaud Mandet has been the winemaker at WillaKenzie Estate for more than a decade.  Trained in Bordeaux, he brings a French touch to the art and science of winemaking.

 

The Crew
As in any small family-owned business, people are extremely important at WillaKenzie Estate.  You cannot make great wines without great people who share your passion, dedication, and respect for the winemaking craft.  At WillaKenzie Estate, we are proud to provide year-round employment and health benefits for our workers and pay them a meaningful wage, thereby contributing to a vital community.   Follow this link to learn more about our community outreach projects.

 

 

The Customers
We also hold a deep respect for our customers, many of whom have been with us from the beginning.  We endeavor to provide them not only with great wines but also exceptional experiences and service.  We strive to make wines that are of the utmost quality year after year, while continuing to make them available to our customers as good values.

 

Future Generations
Finally, our dedication to sustainability demonstrates our desire to leave the land in at least as good a condition as we found it so that future generations may enjoy it, too.