Our Winemaker
A rich winemaking legacy, a new adventure
A rich winemaking legacy, a new adventure
Ryan Kunde was born in the town of Sonoma, part of the 5th Generation Kunde winegrowing family. A sense of tradition and connection to the land runs deep. Ryan started building his business prowess at Arizona State, where he got his first B.S. and started selling wine for Gallo, when his vision of becoming a winemaker crystallized. In internships, winery, and vineyard jobs, he delved deep into the soil and the science, learning his way around all the aspects of the wine world. He earned his second B.S. in Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis in 2011 and founded DRNK with his wife Katie shortly thereafter.
Ryan brings a rich winemaking legacy to DRNK. He is guided by a philosophy that blends an understanding of the land and tradition with evolving science and data that allows for precision winemaking. At DRNK Ryan has developed a network of top grapegrowers to source fruit for their award-winning portfolio; winning numerous top awards for their Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir, and has built an enthusiastic following of local and national wine lovers. Ryan is continually on the quest seeking creative ways to highlight Sonoma County, from roots to vines, and lab to cave.