OUR STORY
OUR INSPIRATION
“At Raeburn we appreciate and are inspired by nature’s gifts while ‘leaving well enough alone.’ We take this approach when making wine, a task made easier when starting with grapes from Sonoma County’s finest vineyards and carefully bring our wines to life. Rather than engineer, we guide the grapes towards the best versions of themselves.”
-Derek Benham
OUR NAME
Our name, Raeburn, is an Old English word that means, “the river where one drinks.” A fitting nod to those who prefer to slow down to observe, appreciate and flourish in nature’s surroundings.
OUR PROCESS
Raeburn wines are elegant, lush and balanced, crafted to allow the natural character of the grape varietal to shine.
“A glass of Raeburn wine is the start to a beautiful friendship.”
— DEREK BENHAM, Proprietor
CONSERVATION
At Raeburn we are passionate about protecting and preserving wilderness and nature, we are dedicated to two meaningful conservation efforts, The Save Mono Lake Foundation and Eastern Sierra Land Trust.
OUR SYMBOL
Facing extinction in the early 1990s, the egret symbolizes care and awareness; serving as a reminder that human intervention can help protect and preserve nature. An avid nature lover, Phyllis would spend months in the Alaskan wilderness observing birds. A symbol of grace and beauty, these birds grace the labels of every bottle of Raeburn wines.
Proprietor
Derek Benham
Derek was born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley. Derek spent his childhood summers working in the fields pulling weeds, harvesting potatoes, and trellising grapes, and he frequented the Sierras with his mother Phyllis, an ardent environmentalist and bird watcher. She was fearless, spending days in the mountains on her own with a young child and a notebook to record her wildlife and bird observations — all of which shaped Derek for the road ahead.
