Winemaker
Chantal Forthun
- Discipline
- Winemaker
- Based in
- Sebastopol, California, United States
i. Biography
The Path
At California State University, Chico (2005), the groundwork was technical: a foundation that fed directly into cellar and harvest roles where analysis and repetition had to be translated into judgement. At Oak Ridge Winery in Lodi (2005–2006), Chantal Forthun worked as laboratory technician, then as enologist at Oak Ridge Winery in Lodi (2006–2008), moving from measurement into a fuller command of the winemaking process. By the time she reached Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz (2008–2011) as assistant winemaker/enologist, the work had become less about isolated tasks than about keeping observation and action in constant conversation. Harvest work widened that frame across regions and seasons. As harvest intern at Quartz Reef in Central Otago, New Zealand (2011), Chantal Forthun worked in a setting where timing and fruit character sit close to the surface. She then returned to California as senior harvest intern at Rhys Vineyards in Los Gatos, California (2011–2012), before joining Flowers Vineyards & Winery in western Sonoma County as harvest intern (2012). That sequence brought her into the house where site expression would become the central measure of the work. Since 2016, Chantal Forthun has been director of winemaking at Flowers Vineyards & Winery, continuing to work in a region whose coastal conditions reward restraint, precision, and patience.
The Work Today
At Flowers Vineyards & Winery in Sebastopol, United States, Chantal Forthun’s work is centered on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast. The method is minimal-intervention winemaking, but not passivity: more hands involved, not fewer, so the vineyard’s own material can remain legible in the finished wine. The aim is clarity, texture, and a sense of place that reads as real rather than imposed. Camp Meeting Ridge Chardonnay is the clearest example. Described as expressive and transparent-to-place, it functions as a direct reading of the Sonoma Coast rather than an overlay on it. In that frame, the vineyard carries the architecture, tone, and persistence of the wine.
Acclaim
Wine Industry Leader (2022) is the recognition attached to Chantal Forthun.
Signature
Camp Meeting Ridge Chardonnay is the signature wine.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Chantal
What is Chantal Forthun's current role?
As of 2026, Chantal Forthun is Director of Winemaking.
Where did Chantal Forthun train or study?
Chantal Forthun trained at California State University, Chico.
What recognition has Chantal Forthun received?
Wine Industry Leader (2022).
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