Booker Vineyard

The Booker family farm has roots in the late 1920s, when orphan brothers Claude and Dick Booker began acquiring land on Paso Robles' westside. Over the following decades the brothers built a farming holding that eventually exceeded 1,200 acres, and at their deaths they left the entire estate to charity. Eric Jensen, a former Newport Beach broker, sold his home and moved to Paso Robles to become a farmer. In 2001 he and his wife Lisa purchased 100 acres of the historic Booker property in what is now the Willow Creek District AVA west of Paso Robles. The Jensens initially focused on growing fruit for other producers, and the vineyard's quality was quickly recognized by leading Paso Robles wineries including Saxum, Linne Calodo, and Clos Solène. Eric spent five years making wine alongside Justin Smith at Saxum and two years working with Stephan Asseo at L'Aventure, an apprenticeship that informed the structured, age-worthy Booker house style. The Jensens released their first Booker Vineyard wines from the 2005 vintage, and within a few years the label was widely regarded as one of Paso Robles' most acclaimed Rhône-style estates.

• Property history: Booker brothers Claude and Dick acquired the land starting late 1920s; built a 1,200-acre westside farming holding left to charity at their deaths
• Eric and Lisa Jensen purchased 100 acres of the Booker farm in 2001 in the Willow Creek District
• Eric Jensen apprenticed five years with Justin Smith at Saxum and two years with Stephan Asseo at L'Aventure before launching his own label
• First Booker Vineyard release: 2005 vintage; built within a few years into one of Paso Robles' three foundational Rhône-style estates

Booker Vineyard, alongside Saxum and L'Aventure, validated the Paso Robles westside as a serious Rhône-style winemaking destination on calcareous limestone soils, terroir comparable in character to portions of the southern Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The estate's commercial success and consistent critical recognition demonstrated that Paso Robles westside producers could command prices and consumer enthusiasm rivaling Napa Cabernet cult wines. Eric Jensen became a leading public voice for the AVA's terroir distinctness, advocating for differentiation between the warmer eastside Paso Robles and the cooler, calcareous westside Willow Creek and Adelaida districts. Constellation Brands' acquisition of the Booker portfolio in 2020 and 2021 signaled that the prestige Paso Robles westside category had matured to a scale that attracted institutional ownership, while Jensen's continued role as head winemaker preserved the estate's stylistic continuity.

• Validated Paso Robles westside as a serious Rhône-style destination on calcareous limestone soils
• Demonstrated Paso Robles westside producers can command prices rivaling Napa Cabernet cult wines
• Eric Jensen: leading public voice for AVA terroir distinctness between warmer eastside and cooler westside
• Constellation Brands acquisition (2020 minority, 2021 full) signaled institutional maturation of the prestige Paso Robles westside category

The Booker farm encompasses 100 acres in the Willow Creek District west of Paso Robles, with approximately 60 acres planted to vines. Elevations range from approximately 1,000 to 1,500 feet; soils are predominantly calcareous shale and limestone derived from the Monterey Formation, with thin topsoil. The vineyard is planted to Syrah (foundational), Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Tannat, Counoise, Viognier, Roussanne, and supporting varieties. Jensen uses roughly 40 acres of planted vines for the Booker label and continues to sell fruit to neighbors including Saxum, Linne Calodo, and Clos Solène. Farming is organic-certified (since April 2021) and Regenerative Organic Certified (since 2023). In the cellar, Jensen's philosophy emphasizes structured, age-worthy Rhône-style blends with substantial extraction balanced by Paso Robles' bright acidity. Syrah is foundational across most Booker cuvées (Vertigo, Tempted, Fracture), often blended with Grenache, Mourvèdre, and supporting varieties. Whole-cluster fermentation is typically 25 to 60 percent by block and vintage. Fermentation is in small open-top tanks with native yeasts; aging is in French oak (40 to 60 percent new) for 18 to 24 months. Bottling is unfined and unfiltered. Alcohols typically run 14.5 to 15.5 percent, with cellaring potential of 10 to 20 years.

• 100-acre Booker farm in Willow Creek District; ~60 planted acres at 1,000-1,500 feet on calcareous Monterey Formation soils
• Plantings: Syrah (foundational), Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Tannat, Counoise, Viognier, Roussanne; ~40 planted acres dedicated to Booker label, remainder sold to Saxum, Linne Calodo, Clos Solène
• Organic certified April 2021; Regenerative Organic Certified 2023
• Native yeast, whole-cluster 25-60%, 40-60% new French oak, 18-24 months aging, unfined and unfiltered; alcohols 14.5-15.5%, 10-20 year cellaring

Booker Vineyard has consistently earned 93 to 97 point scores across Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, and Wine Enthusiast for the Syrah-led cuvées, with multiple bottlings appearing on Wine Spectator's Top 100 lists. Eric Jensen was profiled in Wine Spectator's Top 100 coverage in 2017 as a defining Paso Robles westside farmer. Beyond Booker, Jensen launched the My Favorite Neighbor brand in 2019, a Cabernet Sauvignon project named in homage to neighbor Stephan Asseo of L'Aventure, and the value-tier Harvey & Harriet label honoring his parents. Eric Jensen's public advocacy for Paso Robles westside terroir contributed to the AVA's broader recognition through the 2010s, alongside the parallel work of Tablas Creek, Saxum, and L'Aventure.

• Consistent 93-97 point scores across Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast for Syrah-led cuvées
• Multiple Wine Spectator Top 100 placements; Eric Jensen profiled in 2017 Top 100 coverage
• Companion brands: My Favorite Neighbor (Cabernet, launched 2019, named for Stephan Asseo) and Harvey & Harriet (value-tier, named for Jensen's parents)
• Eric Jensen public advocacy contributed to Paso Robles westside terroir recognition through the 2010s

Constellation Brands acquired a minority stake in the Booker portfolio in July 2020 and completed the full acquisition in November 2021, with the deal encompassing Booker Vineyard, My Favorite Neighbor, and Harvey & Harriet. Eric Jensen continues as head winemaker, providing guidance on farming and hospitality and acting as the public ambassador for the brands. The estate operates from the Booker farm in the Willow Creek District west of Paso Robles, with all winemaking and bottling on-site. Annual production for the Booker label runs approximately 5,000 to 6,000 cases. Sales mix includes mailing-list allocation (with substantial wait lists for new membership), wine club, and a reservation-only tasting room on the property that offers a destination experience with curated tastings and limited daily capacity. The estate has limited broad trade distribution; restaurant access is selective.

• Constellation Brands acquired minority stake July 2020 and completed full acquisition November 2021 (Booker, My Favorite Neighbor, Harvey & Harriet)
• Eric Jensen continues as head winemaker and brand ambassador
• Booker farm in Willow Creek District west of Paso Robles; all winemaking and bottling on-site
• Annual production approximately 5,000-6,000 cases; mailing-list primary with reservation-only tasting room