Other
Eric Sussman
Winemaker
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Winegrowing at Radio-Coteau in Sebastopol has centered on restraint since 2002, with Eric Sussman building wines around tension, brightness, and quiet precision rather than obvious gloss. The focus is on Cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah, and Zinfandel, varieties that reward a hand willing to hold back and let structure carry the wine. Born and raised in New York State, he studied agriculture at Cornell University, where winegrowing moved from interest to direction. The method reads as discipline more than display: a working habit of letting the vineyard lead and keeping the cellar from getting in the way. As he puts it, “We are making wines that are in a more restrained style. We want to showcase fruit, not bury it in oak.”
The Climb
At Cornell University, agricultural study gave Eric Sussman a base in the practical language of land and crop. That foundation shaped a career built on attentiveness, with the work moving toward structure, clarity, and a measured approach to the raw material. The preference is not for ornament or volume, but for wines that show their shape plainly.
Today
Since 2002, Radio-Coteau in Sebastopol has been the site of Eric Sussman’s work as winegrower and proprietor. The wines remain centered on Cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah, and Zinfandel, with fruit kept forward and oak held back. The aim is a clean line from vineyard to bottle, with enough restraint in the cellar to leave the varietal character legible. That is a style grounded in control, not absence: the architecture is there, but it stays in service of the fruit.
Signature
Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah and County Line sit closest to Eric Sussman’s signature. Both point to the kind of work associated with Radio-Coteau: wines that are deliberate and composed, with varietal character intact rather than masked by technique.
In Their Words “We never acidify. The only additive is a bit of sulfur. If we have to do anything to the wine, it doesn’t go into Radio-Coteau.” “We are making wines that are in a more restrained style. We want to showcase fruit, not bury it in oak.”
Recognition
The recognition attached to Eric Sussman comes from the consistency of the same role over time. Since 2002, he has led Radio-Coteau in Sebastopol with a steady preference for fruit-first wines and a light cellar hand. What sets the work apart is not a changeable point of view but its durability: the same grapes, the same restraint, and a philosophy that has held its line.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Eric
What is Eric Sussman's current role?
As of 2026, Eric Sussman is Winegrower and Proprietor.
Where did Eric Sussman train or study?
Eric Sussman trained at Cornell University.
What is Eric Sussman known for?
Cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah, and Zinfandel.
