The Sanglier Family and Team

Melissa and Glenn grew up in rural East Texas. Glenn worked with his family farming tomatoes and other vegetables, raising cattle and hogs. Melissa was raised in a large family where time spent at the table was everyone participating, and everyone contributing to make the meal.

They met in 1974 while attending college. Often a date for them was Melissa preparing dinner with only a hibachi grill and toaster oven at her dorm. Glenn would bring a bottle of wine. 

After twenty years in the business world, with kids in college, they decided to continue exploring their love of food and wine. Visitors to Sonoma County since 1985, they loved the vineyards and wines, but also the dairies, beef cattle, cheesemakers, bakers and all other types of farming. For them, Sonoma County was food and wine paradise. In 2001 they bought a farmhouse and 9 acre old vine zinfandel vineyard and started a new life in the Russian River Valley.

Glenn returned to farming. He studied viticulture at the local college, interned with a vineyard management company, and worked in the cellar at Preston Winery in Dry Creek. Soon he was farming vineyards for his neighbors, for Paul Hobbs, Pahlmeyer, and Lynmar. He began growing grapes for Far Niente, William Selyem, Faila, and other great vintners. He studied winemaking at UC Davis and attended the University of Bordeaux’s summer classes. 

That led to working with Denis Malbec, the former winemaker at Château Latour, on a mountain project in far north Sonoma County. Gonzague and Clare Lurton, the renowned Bordeaux family of Château Durfort Vivens,  Château Ferrière, and Haut-Bages Libéral engaged him to help start their Sonoma County winery and vineyards.

While Glenn was pursuing his farming and winemaking endeavors, Melissa reshaped the farmhouse and gardens and continued her education in the culinary world. She collected seeds from friends in Provence and Gascony and the property soon blossomed with over thirty fruit trees, and numerous heirloom vegetables and culinary herbs.

Cooking schools in Provence, tours of France, some time at the Culinary Institute of America and even a cooking school in Italy honed her skills and knowledge. A seat at Melissa’s table became coveted by local chefs, winemakers, and lovers of great food. Friends of the winery often enjoyed a summer evening under the arbor with her food and Glenn’s wines. 

Melissa is now an inductee into the San Francisco chapter of Les Dames d ‘Escoffier, along with such culinary notables as Patricia Wells, Alice Waters, and Georgeanne Brennan. She is also featured in Wine Country Women of Sonoma County.

The Sanglier Wines are inspired by Melissa’s food. Glenn now focuses exclusively on his wines.