Joseph Swan was a visionary who planted Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley in the 1970s and focused on old world winemaking traditions. His estate's artisanal wines still reflect those values.

Château Clerc-Milon was purchased in 1970 by the Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who spent several decades modernizing the estate and improving the quality of the wine. Today the estate is run by the Baron’s daughter.

Iconoclasts Manfred and Elaine Krankl's off-beat approach to artisanal winemaking -- complete with provocative labels and wine names -- has made SQN the "cult" producer of the Central Coast.