PEIRSON MEYER - Key Persons
A California native, growing up in Marin County, Alan began his studies as a student in Art History at the College of Marin, then continued on at St Johns in Minnesota. Surrounding his artistic life as a ceramicist and sculptor, Alan has always had an intense interest in food, wine, building, design, horticulture and landscaping.
Beginning in 1982, Alan for twenty years played an integral role in the genesis and development of the Peter Michael Winery estate and vineyard program, designing, building and managing the property. He also used his many talents as Artistic Director of a non-profit organization raising money for the performing arts.
It was in 2001 that Alan and Robbie set out to grow and develop the Peirson Meyer wines. For 20 years Alan was integral to grape growing, wine program development, and marketing for the brand.
In 2005, James began his career in the wine industry working for an international wine brokerage company in San Francisco's Financial District. His natural ability to connect on a personal level with affluent wine collectors nationwide sparked his career in Direct-to-Consumer Wine Sales. His newfound talents landed him at a startup wine sales company in the East Bay. He quickly rose to the top and became their highest grossing wine sales producer. His success played a major role in scaling up the company that soon became one of the leading DTC wine sales companies in the Bay Area.
After ten successful years of selling wine for some of the most prominent wine groups in Napa and Sonoma, James joined Peirson Meyer in 2015 and since then has become an integral and accomplished part of our wine family. He claims his most fulfilling and accomplished goal in life is currently raising his two daughters but may have an entirely different opinion when they reach their teenage years.
For thirty two years Lesley and Alan have been partners in life and work. A second generation native Californian, Lesley grew up surrounded by the walnut and fruit orchards of Los Altos. An early and intense curiosity in art, history, and science was reflected in her college education, later combining in a degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.
Spending several years in Napa Valley, principally as a free-lance chef, Lesley settled with Alan in 1984 to develop what is now known as the Peter Michael Winery Estate. In addition to acting as a private chef there, her work expanded to a shared role as Estate Manager, Director of a non-profit organization raising money for the performing arts and as Special Project Coordinator for design projects and special events.
Relocating to Oakville in 2002, Lesley started a new adventure with her husband Alan Peirson and business partner Robbie Meyer, setting the framework for their family wine business. Lesley and Alan relocated to Howell Mountain in 2014 after renovating a mid-century house and planting a vineyard surrounding their home in Cabernet Sauvignon and Saint Macaire.
As owner and winemaker for Peirson Meyer Wines, Robbie's interest in wine began at an early age while working with food and wine in his native city of Marietta, Georgia, leading him to serve as a restaurant wine steward when he was eighteen. His academic work was based in Biology, and he received a B.S. degree from the University of Georgia.
It was his love of food and wine that brought him to study winemaking in California. His studies in plant sciences and chemistry were a great match for his graduate work at the University of California, Davis where he received his Master's Degree in Enology.
Robbie has spent the last 25 vintages working at wineries including Peter Michael Winery, Lewis Cellars, and Jericho Canyon Vineyards. In addition to Peirson Meyer, he is consulting for several wineries in Sonoma, Napa Valley and Livermore Valley.