Named for Michelle’s Grandparents, the Seebass family purchased 96 acre in Mendocino County between the Russian River and the Mayacama mountain range in 1988. Her family emigrated from Germany and the family wine palate is distinctly European – clean, subtle, food-friendly and approachable with premier, estate-grown California fruit. This vineyard has been the focus of Michelle’s family for most of her life, and over the last decade they’ve been immersed in crafting their world-class family wines to a larger audience.
Although technology and legal careers in San Francisco took her to the big City, Michelle’s heart was in the family business and gave her an excellent basis to transition running the winery day-to-day operations. For over ten years, Michelle has personally overseen operations and welcomed guests to their beautiful Tasting Room in Boonville, California, in the heart of Anderson Valley, where Seebass wines made countless new friends with their hospitality and quality of their award-winning wines. Together with her husband Scott, who also transitioned from a technology marketing career in San Francisco, they’ve spent the last 25 years creating a family winemaking business that now looks to broaden to securing imports from tiny producers like themselves from around the world. Fluent in German and Spanish, Michelle and Scott spend weeks throughout Europe, South America and beyond meeting other small family wineries to bring small-lots vintages that match their palate for the Wine Club members.
We look forward to sharing our history and family stories and winemaking adventures with Ama Waterways guests in November 2024 on the glorious Rhein! Prost!