Founder, owner and winemaker of the Brander Vineyards and Winery in Los Olivos, Calif., Brander '73 has earned a reputation for his distinctive wines and aggressive canopy management of his vineyard.

Brander's senior research thesis title at Harvey Mudd College revealed his passion for wine: "Volatile Composition of Vitis Vinifera Zinfandel. Neutral Components Extracted from Wine." A graduate of Laguna Blanca School in Santa Barbara, Calif., Fred earned a Master of Science degree from U.C. Davis in enology – the study of wine – in 1975. His first Sauvignon Blanc harvest in 1977 won Santa Barbara County's first gold medal at a major wine competition.