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Nicole Pope - Winemaker

Nicole's winemaking style reveals the natural beauty, texture, and purity of fruit influenced by our proximity to the Pacific. It's an approach that celebrates a true sense of place. Here at Stolo Vineyards in Cambria, she's led our winemaking team since 2011.
 
Consistently hard-working season after season, Nicole’s talent earns acclaim—from being named San Francisco Chronicle’s 2019 Winemaker to Watch by Esther Mobley to ensuring Stolo Vineyards recognition among Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Wines in 2017 and 2018.

Before crafting wine for our family, the Cal Poly grad and Division I athlete worked harvests across the globe in both South Africa and Australia. She's served as Assistant Winemaker at Talley Vineyards in the Arroyo Grande Valley and contributed her technical expertise to Domaine Carneros Winery in Napa as Enologist. Today she and her husband/vineyard manager Lucas also craft sparkling wine under their own label, Haliotide Wines.

Ultimately, Nicole is driven to continually learn and grow in an industry where cultivating relationships is as rewarding as producing remarkable wines.

Maria Bennetti  - Managing Partner

Maria has been involved in the wine industry for twenty years.  Her background encompasses direct and wholesale sales as well as marketing for boutique wineries primarily from the Napa and Sonoma regions. 

In 2004, Maria partnered with Don and Charlene Stolo to develop Stolo Vineyards’ estate label. All three partners saw the potential in the ultra-coastal vineyard location for premium cool climate growing.  Over the years, as the exposure continues to grow,  Maria’s focus for the label remains on quality and place.

She continues to champion the unique location of the vineyard through the establishment of the Pacific Coast Wine Trail as well as being a founding member in the development of a new coastal AVA in San Luis Obispo County.

Lucas Pope - Vineyard Manager

Lucas joined Stolo Vineyards in 2010 and his expertise has been fundamental
during planting and in managing the viticultural challenges we face in this extreme
coastal climate. Through his commitment to sustainable farming and innovative
growing practices we have been able to prove the true potential of our unique site.

Lucas has dedicated his career to ultra-premium vineyard management on the Central Coast since graduating from Cal Poly in Wine and Viticulture. His experience has ranged from founding a vineyard management company in the Santa Cruz Mountains to nearly a decade as Vineyard Manager at Halter Ranch. In 2017 his innovation and influence in the industry garnered Lucas the “Top 40 Under 40” from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Lucas is first vineyard manager to ever make this esteemed list.

Lucas is currently the Director of Vineyard Operations at Coastal Vineyard Services, managing top vineyards throughout the region, while also serving as Vice President of the Vineyard Team SIP Board of Directors.

Jesse Cloutier - Assistant Winemaker & Wholesale Sales Manager

Jesse is a Central Coast native, raised in Northern Santa Barbara County.  Inspired by his older sister who makes wine overseas, Jesse joined the wine industry in the Fall of 2008. 

After graduating from Sonoma State University with a B.S. in Wine Business, he worked vintages in Santa Barbara, SLO, and Sonoma Counties and abroad in Western Australia. The Stolo Vineyards proximity to the ocean, combined with Nicole and Lucas’ wine and viticulture program is what drew him to us in 2019.  

"The vineyards are treated with lots of respect to their natural environment and once Nicole gets the fruit, the same mentality is applied. This creates an honest expression of this unique coastline and it’s a big aspect of why Cambria is so special” he says. 

Along with supporting Nicole in the cellar, Jesse represents us as our Wholesale Sales Manager.

Scott Wills - General Manager

At Stolo Scott focuses his energy on our consumer experience and operations management.

Scott has a passion for everything the Central Coast has to offer, where he is raising his family and contributing to the community and wine business in Cambria California. 

Scott began his career in publishing, going on to build and manage some of the nations most successful brands. 

For over ten years he has been a technology and wine industry professional in the San Luis Obispo/Paso Roble area, managing consumer engagement with Denner Vineyards and management for Emerson Brown Wines.

Katie Mazer - Tasting Room Leader

Katie joined the tasting room after graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Animal Science.

Her passion for agricultural education at Cal Poly was a great segue into educating visitors about what makes Stolo Vineyards so special. She enjoys sharing with people from all over the world about Cambria's unique terroir and how sustainable farming practices on the coast sets us apart.

Katie's favorite part about working in the wine industry is the face-to-face connections she makes with visitors and club members on a daily basis.