Sleeping Giant

About Winery: Sleeping Giant lives by the "philosophy of respect for the terroir," a shared vision ensuring that both the lands used to maximize quality and the longer term relationships between winemaker and grower are being nurtured. The mark of a new chapter began when Owner, Winemaker, and UC Davis alum Chris Dearden founded the Dearden Wines Portfolio, which includes Sleeping Giant Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir, and Chardonnay. The cornerstone of the brand is Dearden’s Carneros vineyard property, which houses the Sleeping Giant Winery. To round out the vineyard, residence, and newly restored historic water tower, groundbreaking took place at the end of 2020 for the development of a boutique winery. 

Visit their website to book a Single AVA or sensory experiences.

Aggie Connection: Chris attended UC Davis as a Viticulture, Enology and Winery Operations Major and continued on to UC Berkeley Haas School of Business to earn his MBA. Chris’s career in vineyard management, winemaking, wine equipment sales, and then winery management culminated in fulfilling his lifelong dream - to own his own winery. Since 2010, Chris and family have been working on their Carneros property which they built from the ground up.

Alum: Chris Dearden '86, Owner and Winemaker; Addie Dearden '20, Operations Manager