He was 72, and died of cancer. Three of his sons are now winemakers.
He founded Marietta Cellars in an old cow barn, producing Old Vine Red when consumers were increasingly turning to single-variety wines made from prestige grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon.
His son Scot now owns Marietta, producing 75,000 cases a year. Another son, Jake, bought the nearby Limerick Lane Winery. And Sam founded Idlewild Wines, which specializes in Italian varieties.