Our Winemaker
Two historic Paso Robles farming families. One shared respect for the land.
Where Two Histories Come Together
Long before Klintworth Family Wines existed, both the Klintworth and Steinbeck families were building lives through agriculture in the hills east of Paso Robles. The Steinbeck family’s local farming roots reach back to 1884, while Gerd and Ilsabe Klintworth established themselves in the nearby Linne District in 1886.
Across generations, both families remained connected to the land, farming, vineyards and the evolving wine culture of Paso Robles. Today, those histories come together through Head Winemaker Bryan Widstrand and Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery — a collaboration rooted in family stewardship, small-batch winemaking and a shared respect for place.
Bryan Widstrand. Photo courtesy of Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery.
Bryan Widstrand
Head Winemaker, Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery
Winemaker, Klintworth Family Wines
Bryan brings both local Paso Robles experience and an international winemaking perspective to Klintworth Family Wines. He trained in California under Jim Shumate and Steve Glossner and later worked in Tasmania, Australia, where his career included senior winemaking responsibilities at Pipers Brook.
After returning to Paso Robles, Bryan joined the Steinbeck family operation. His approach combines old-world focus with new experiences, seeking balance, elegance and approachability while allowing the vineyard and fruit to remain at the center of the wine.
For Klintworth Family Wines, Bryan’s role is especially meaningful: he is helping another deeply rooted Paso Robles farming family carry its vineyard story into the bottle.
Two Families. Generations of Paso Robles Farming.
More than 140 years later, those agricultural traditions intersect in a new way — through a very limited production of wines created to honor the land, the families and the Paso Robles Zinfandel tradition.