WINERY PARTNER:
DERBY WINE ESTATES

Ray and Pam Derby, proprietors of Derby Wine Estates, are native

Californians who grew up in Orange County. Ray was Owner/President

of California Industrial Products, a manufacturing company that made

clips and fasteners for the auto industry. He had only three customers:

Ford, Chrysler and GM. The company had plants in Southern

California, Tennessee, Michigan and the United Kingdom.

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The Derbys bought a vacation home in Cambria for weekend use but

after a few years enjoying SLO County, they found it more and more

difficult to return to the LA area, where they were residing. Ray sold the company and retired early and he and Pam moved to the Central Coast in the early 1990s.

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Their thoughts of retirement were quickly replaced by the inspiration of being a part of the wine world. With little knowledge about the wine industry at the time, they purchased their first vineyard as an investment, now known as Derbyshire Vineyard. The year was 1998. After experiencing nearly a decade as a grape grower, Ray and Pam launched Derby Wine Estates.

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                            The engineer in Ray was later intrigued by the run-down, abandoned Almond Growers Building.                                     Ray  pictured how beautiful it would be if restored and when the for-sale sign was posted in front of                               the building in 2010, the Derby's pursued a purchase. Restoring the building turned out to be a

                             win for the city and for Ray and Pam! They have protected the integrity and authenticity of the                                       building and they continue to be committed to producing some of the finest wines in California. 

 

The Derbys have joined the 'Amphorae Wine Trail,' utilizing the ancient winemaking technique, fermenting in amphorae.  Thank you, Ray and Pam, for your love of history, our community, and for your beautiful wines.