Roger Wisted

The Path

At 14, Roger Wisted was already studying the wines and winemaking of France and California, building an early working vocabulary around contrast, method, and tradition. That study moved quickly from reading to practice. Two years later, he was fermenting small batches of wine in the produce section of his parent’s grocery store, turning an informal setting into a first lab for trial, observation, and refinement.

The Work Today

At Blackjack Ranch Winery, the work is still framed by a simple standard: wines that are “both pleasurable and memorable.” For Roger Wisted, that aim points to balance, restraint, and enough structure to carry a wine beyond the first sip. The focus is on making bottles that hold their place without excess, letting the wine do the speaking through clarity and finish.

Career - Owner — Blackjack Ranch Winery, Solvang, CA

Signature

Billy Goat Hill Merlot, Harmonie, and Chardonnay Reserve sit among Roger Wisted’s signature wines. Together, they show the span of the cellar while keeping a clear point of view. Each label carries its own shape, but all three remain tied to the same house approach that Wisted founded and continues to guide.

In Their Words “It is my goal to produce wines at Blackjack Ranch that are both pleasurable and memorable.” Those lines mark the two ends of the work: intention and practice. One sets the standard for the wines; the other shows where the technical habit began, in a makeshift production space where process mattered as much as ambition.

Acclaim

Roger Wisted has received Robert Parker, Jr. Five-Star rating.

FAQ How did Roger Wisted get started? He began studying the wines and winemaking of France and California at age 14, then fermented small batches two years later in the produce section of his parent’s grocery store. What is Roger Wisted best known for today? He is best known as winemaker and proprietor of Blackjack Ranch Winery in Solvang, United States.