Overview

With the launch of Jonive, the Underwood family is writing the next chapter in their long history in the wine business. The Underwoods are the owners of Young’s Holdings, one of America’s oldest continuously operated family-owned businesses. Originally established as Young’s Market Company in 1888, and expanding over decades to grocery, soda bottling, meat, and seafood wholesale, and ultimately alcohol beverage wholesale, Young’s Holdings is now in its fifth generation of family leadership with a passion and focus on fine wine. The founding of Jonive marks an exciting evolution for the family, in establishing estate-grown wines of exceptional quality.

Jonive’s Moon Dust Vineyard is nested within the Sebastopol Hills in the coolest area of the Russian River Valley, home to rare and desirable Goldridge soils. First planted to vines in 1998, the vineyard consists of four pristine acres of Chardonnay, comprising two individual clones across two blocks. In 2007, the vineyard was expanded to comprise an additional 11 acres of Pinot Noir, planted to 6 distinct Pinot Noir clones. Jonive is a true reflection of vine maturity, organic farming, high-quality soil, and a world-class microclimate.

History

Jonive takes its name from the original 1845 California land grant titled “Rancho Cañada de Jonive”, from which Jonive’s Moon Dust Vineyard was established. In the 1840s, Historic General, Mariano Vallejo, gifted land grants to arriving settlers willing to work and live off their land. Jasper O’Farrell, a pioneering California land surveyor identified the terroir of “Rancho Cañada de Jonive”, as a unique and fruitful opportunity due it its fertile watersheds and moderate temperatures with plentiful rainfall yet wonderful natural drainage. Many years later, the Underwood family again saw the site’s potential. The family purchased the 18-acre property in 2021 with the vision of producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from this mature and organically-farmed vineyard. This vineyard has been named Moon Dust Vineyard after the local term for the vineyard’s rare and desirable Goldridge soils.