David Eakle

Coming Up

Today, David Eakle is vintner of Pope Valley Winery, a role he has held since 2009. In wine, a tenure like that is measured less by milestones than by seasons repeated well. Year after year, the work is in the accumulation: reading the fruit, staying with the property, and building familiarity with what the site gives back. For Eakle, 2009 marks the start of that sustained conversation with Pope Valley Winery.

Where They Are Now

He is owner and vintner at the same Pope Valley Winery property. That pairing keeps the responsibilities clear: stewardship and production under one roof, with the estate at the center of both. It points to a hands-on relationship with the site, shaped by continuity and attention to place. At Pope Valley Winery, the work is not separate from the land; it is tied to it.

Signature

David's signature wines include 2022 Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Rose, 2019 Proprietary Red, 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Read together, they show a range that moves across fresh, lifted wines and more structured bottlings, while staying anchored to the same cellar and estate. The vintages also underline one of the basic disciplines of the trade: each bottle is a record of a specific year, and the name on the label ties that year back to the maker.

In Their Words “My wine word would be spile.” The word belongs to the working language of wine, with a practical edge that points toward barrels, casks, and the tools used to move or manage wine. It suggests an approach grounded in the physical side of the craft rather than the presentation of it. The answer is plain, and that plainness is the point. It places Eakle inside vineyard life early, with familiarity formed through repetition rather than retrospect. For wine work, that kind of start often becomes part of the method.