Dr. Isaac Gubel’s love for early Cabernets from Argentina’s Mendoza region ignited a taste for wine in his son, Gustavo. Spending weekends on “The Island” near Buenos Aires, Gustavo would sneak sips during family barbecues, where the aromas of grilling meats mingled with the earthy scents of the surrounding farmlands. This experience not only kindled Gustavo’s passion for wine but also sparked a deep appreciation for the rhythms of agriculture and the art of nurturing crops that would later flourish in his own vineyards.

Amidst 1970s political unrest in Argentina, Gustavo’s family sent him to California for his education in architecture. He later founded a firm celebrated for hillside homes and hospitality designs, marked by his distinctive use of glass, concrete and wood.

Designing his own home posed a challenge: a mature olive tree stood where the house was to be built. Before removing it, Gustavo and his soon to be wife, Joanne, harvested and pressed its olives late into the night, discovering olive oil the next morning—a pivotal moment that led them into agriculture.