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Introduction    |    Our Family    |    Winemaking    |    Video Gallery    |    Photo Gallery
Our Family

Ancient Peaks Winery is a partnership between three local winegrowing families who are inspired to craft remarkable wines from their jointly owned Margarita Vineyard. Following are the owners and individuals behind the daily operations in the vineyard and in the cellar.

Karl Wittstrom Karl Wittstrom
Owner

Karl Wittstrom oversees the daily management and operations of Ancient Peaks Winery. Karl is an entrepreneur, winegrower, rancher and longtime Paso Robles area resident who was raised amid his family’s ranching and farming business. Karl is a director of the California Mid State Fair in Paso Robles, and he is a member of the California Cattlemen’s Association, California Farm Bureau and Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. He oversees his own family vineyard and co-owns San Juan Vineyard and Margarita Vineyard with his partners in Ancient Peaks Winery.

Doug Filipponi Doug Filipponi
Owner

Doug Filipponi is a longtime local winegrower and Paso Robles native who oversees all vineyard operations for Ancient Peaks Winery. Doug was named “Wine Industry Person of The Year” by his wine industry peers at the 2006 California Mid State Fair in Paso Robles. He is also the president of Filipponi & Thompson Drilling, a past president of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, and a past chairman of the Paso Robles Wine Festival. Doug is co-owner of Filipponi & Thompson Vineyard, and co-owns Margarita Vineyard and San Juan Vineyard with his partners in Ancient Peaks Winery.

Rob Rossi Rob Rossi
Owner

Rob Rossi oversees strategic planning and development for Ancient Peaks Winery. Rob is a local entrepreneur and businessman with varied interests throughout the Central Coast. Rob is a newcomer to the wine industry, having introduced Robert Mondavi to Santa Margarita Ranch in 1999. Rob’s interests emphasize historic renovations and reuse projects, which have included the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo and Granada Theater in Santa Barbara. He co-owns Margarita Vineyard and San Juan Vineyard with his partners in Ancient Peaks Winery.

Mike Sinor Mike Sinor
Director of Winemaking

Mike Sinor is recognized as one of the Central Coast’s highest-rated winemakers (96 points - Wine Spectator; 95 points – Connoisseur’s Guide; 92 points – Wine Advocate; 92 points – Wine Enthusiast). His winemaking career on the Central Coast spans more than 15 years. At Ancient Peaks Winery, Mike oversees all winemaking operations and directs the quality and style of the wines. His first complete vintage with Ancient Peaks, the 2006 vintage, yielded an abundance of accolades, including a rating of 93points by the Wine Spectator for the 2006 Zinfandel.

Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins
VP of Sales & Marketing

As the Vice Presidenit of Sales and Marketing for Ancient Peaks Winery, Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins is the primary contact for distribution as well as direct sales, and is responsible for marketing planning and development. Amanda is a fourth-generation Paso Robles native with deep family roots in local agriculture and ranching. Prior to joining Ancient Peaks Winery, she worked in the real estate banking industry.

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