“The wines were so breathtaking I tasted them again in my office a few weeks later just to be sure.” – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Keplinger Wines was founded Helen Keplinger and DJ Warner in 2006. Let’s just say it: You’ll be hard-pressed to find a kinder and more compassionate wine couple on the North Coast. And Helen’s got several 100-point wines under helt belt, cementing her rockstar status among California’s winemakers.
After completing her Master’s of Enology at UC Davis, she apprenticed in Australia and at Paradigm Winery and Fiddlehead Cellars. She was the winemaker for Cellers Melis in Spain’s Priorat for three years, and then for Kenzo Estate, Sarocka, Fort Ross, Grace Family and Arrow & Branch. While her work with many great mentors – Heidi Peterson Barrett, Kathy Joseph, Claude Gros, David Abreu, Michel Rolland – in a number of different regions from Santa Barbara to Spain to Napa Valley inform her vineyard selection, practices, and winemaking, she has cultivated a style all her own.
Helen was first recognized as a winemaker to watch by the Wine Spectator in 2011. She was named 2012 Winemaker of the Year by Food & Wine Magazine, and was honored with the cover and feature article of the June 15th 2014 Wine Spectator. In 2023, Helen was named Winemaker of the Year by Antonio Galloni, Vinous Magazine. We are beyond thrilled to include Helen and DJ’s wines in our portfolio.
