Portrait of Kyle Knapp
i. Biography
Kyle Knapp’s career at Stolpman Vineyards is built the way good cellar work is built: in stages, close to the fruit, and with enough repetition to make judgment reliable. Born and raised in Lompoc, California, he stayed near the vineyards and cellars that shaped his practice, learning the region from the inside before taking on the responsibility that would define his next chapter. Since 2017, he has led winemaking at Stolpman Vineyards in Lompoc, bringing years of hands-on experience to a role grounded in continuity rather than reinvention.
The Climb
Early on, the assistant winemaker role at Stolpman Vineyards in Ballard Canyon AVA, Santa Barbara County, California (2006–2010) gave Kyle Knapp daily access to the work that sets pace in a cellar: harvest calls, routine operations, and the discipline required to move fruit cleanly into wine. That training was extended at Beckmen Vineyards in Los Olivos, California (2010–2016), where the same craft had to hold up across another estate and another set of expectations. Read together, those years show a career formed through accumulation—experience stacked into judgment, technique sharpened through use, and timing learned by doing. Since 2017, he has served as head winemaker of Stolpman Vineyards, while also working as winemaker of Press Gang Cellars since 2010, a pairing that points to sustained familiarity with the demands of the work.
Today
Since 2017, Kyle Knapp has served as head winemaker at Stolpman Vineyards in Lompoc, returning to the same property where earlier cellar experience had already set the terms of his craft. His own words describe that shift plainly: "My winemaking experience has evolved immensely over the past ten years and I am thrilled to return to Stolpman as winemaker. I look forward to working with our accomplished team on the exciting projects that lie ahead." The statement marks a working return, with the emphasis on experience, team, and the next set of tasks.
Career - head winemaker — Stolpman Vineyards, Lompoc, California (2017–present) - winemaker — Press Gang Cellars (2010–present) - assistant winemaker — Stolpman Vineyards, Ballard Canyon AVA, Santa Barbara County, California (2006–2010) - assistant winemaker — Beckmen Vineyards, Los Olivos, California (2010–2016)
Signature
Kyle's signature dishes include Press Gang Cellars Grenache and Grenache 2014. The pairing of those names on the page suggests a focused identity, one shaped by varietal expression and the particular character of a vintage that remains part of his professional calling card.
In Their Words “My winemaking experience has evolved immensely over the past ten years and I am thrilled to return to Stolpman as winemaker. I look forward to working with our accomplished team on the exciting projects that lie ahead.”
Recognition
In 2017, he stepped into the head winemaker role, marking the point when years spent in assistant winemaker posts became direct responsibility for leading Stolpman Vineyards forward.
FAQ What is Kyle Knapp's current role? As of 2026, Kyle Knapp is Head Winemaker. Where did Kyle Knapp work before? Kyle Knapp's earlier career included Stolpman Vineyards and Beckmen Vineyards.
Explore
In the same rooms
