Grey Wolf Cellars and Barton Family Wines was established by Joe
Sr. and Shirlene Barton in 1994. The couple dreamed of owning a
winery and building a family business for generations to come. Joe Jr.
attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo while the winery was in its infancy,
working alongside his parents to get it off the ground.
Following the untimely passing of his father in 1998, and at the young
age of 23, Joe was tasked with continuing his family legacy and
creating a distinct style of his own. Joe focuses on specific vineyard
sites that offer a distinct character to each hand-crafted wine which
complement each variety. In 2020, Joe received the distinction of
being named San Luis Obispo County Winemaker of the Year.
Today, Joe and his wife Jenny run the business as a husband-and-wife
team alongside Joe’s mom Shirlene who remains an integral part of the
day-to-day operations.