The House Family
House Family Vineyards is a family-owned and operated business located on our 73-acre family compound above Saratoga, California. Our House Family Estate Wines are made from grapes grown in our Old Oak Vineyard located on the property. We also make wine with grapes sourced from hand picked California vineyards with complimentary terroir, farmed in the same high-touch style we employ on our own estate.
House Family Vineyards is proud to offer award winning Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot from our estate. Additionally, we offer Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Rose, GSM, and Zinfandel. A selection of these are available in our tasting room.
Dave House is the family patriarch and Proprietor of House Family Vineyards. His focus is on the vineyards, finances and overall business management. Dave developed his management skills as an executive for 23 years at Intel, as CEO at Bay Networks and other Silicon Valley companies before his retirement. Dave is currently Chairman of the Board of the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, Vice Chairman of the Computer History Museum Board and serves on other educational and non-profit boards. Dave is an avid heli-skier and yachtsman, who also races an LMP3 in the IMSA Prototype Challenge Series.
House Family Vineyards' Winemaker, Jim Cargill, is married to Dave’s daughter, Shelley, and is a chef and owner of Rio Adobe Restaurant in nearby Cupertino. Jim’s talents with food and business management serve him well in his other role of Operations Manager. Jim makes the wine and runs all of the business aspects of House Family Vineyards. Jim also runs his own catering business and caters our public and private events at the House Family Tasting Room. In the early mornings Jim can often be found mountain biking or running on the trails in the hills behind the vineyard.
Dave's wife, Devyani Kamdar, is our Director of Marketing. Devyani (Devi) oversees our marketing programs and collateral. Devi has a history of building and running small businesses, including most recently the Palo Alto Institute and Palo Alto International Film Festival. She enjoys assisting Dave and Jim in building the House Family Vineyards brand and business. Devyani is an age group world champion XTERRA triathlete and continues to enjoy running and biking. She and Dave, both adrenaline junkies, have a shared love of adventure and are spending much of this year on their new boat.
Stephanie Pando is the General Manager, overseeing the Tasting Room, Wine Club and Events at House Family Vineyards. She was born and raised in Cambrian Park, nestled near Los Gatos, CA. She is an alumni of Leigh High School and San Jose State University. Stephanie spent over a decade working with PF Chang's, managing multiple locations, specializing in bar management. Stephanie believes in the quality of the things we put into our bodies, such as fresh air, good food, and of course, good wine! Stephanie most enjoys her time with her family, running, cooking and exploring.
Our Vineyard Manager, Jonathan Goodling. Our Vineyard Manager, Jonathan discovered his green thumb and discerning palate early in life. After graduating with a degree in Viticulture and Enology, Jonathan spent several years in Sweden, where he helped to establish one of the country's first sparkling wine estates. He returned to Germany to pursue a Masters in Enology, where he fell in love with the steep slopes of the Rheingau. Love brought him to California, and love kept him here when he discovered House Family Vineyards - possibly the only winery in the US which has vineyards as steep as those in Rheingau.
Jonathan strongly believes that wine is made in the vineyard, by the soil and the climate, and the love and touch of the people taking care of the vines. This chord of interaction between the land, the weather and the people allows each vintage to develop its unique character every year. For Jonathan, sustainable viticulture is paramount. In Europe, winemakers have grown grapes for thousands of years – and it is vitally important to ensure that this tradition continues at House Family.