Mark Rattray, a highly experienced New Zealand winemaker, joined the Hoags in 2006

After 20 years of operating a successful family orchard, Al and Marleen Hoag were looking for a new challenge and lifestyle change.  When a 20-acre piece of prime Creston farmland came onto the market in January of 2003 the soon-to-be “empty nesters” chose to take the plunge and pioneer the valley’s first commercial vineyard and winery. That June, along with Al’s father Ken and their children Geordon and Rachel, they planted 14 acres of vinifera grapes. 

The next step was to find an expert winemaker who could pass on the skills and knowledge Al would need to take on the winemaking himself.  Feeling it might be difficult to attract a winemaker willing to work only four months a year, they decided to explore hiring a professional from the Southern Hemisphere who was available during the “off season” there.  The following February Al and Marleen travelled to New Zealand’s south island, whose climate is similar to that of the Creston Valley.  There they visited wineries and distributed pamphlets explaining their situation to industry insiders.
 
Mark Rattray, a highly experienced New Zealand winemaker, found the Hoags’ pamphlet tucked in his door.  The owner of a small winery and vineyard himself, he had already been considering pursuing the sort of opportunity the Hoags’ pamphlet offered, so he contacted them to express his interest in assisting in the start-up of their winery.  When Al, Marleen and Mark met in Creston that summer it felt like an excellent fit all around.

Mark began working as Skimmerhorn’s winemaker in September of 2006 and has skillfully guided the Hoags through their grape harvests, along with production and bottling of their first vintages.