Meet Our Vintners: Bricoleur Vineyards
A Conversation with Head Winemaker Tom Pierson
When you step into Bricoleur Vineyards, you're not just entering a winery—you're joining a story rooted in seven generations of family legacy, innovative sustainability practices, and an unyielding commitment to bringing people together around great wine and food. We sat down with Head Winemaker Tom Pierson to explore what makes Bricoleur one of Sonoma County's most compelling wine destinations.
The Philosophy: From Vineyard to Glass
Tom has spent the last seven years cultivating his craft at Bricoleur, and recently stepped into his new role as Head Winemaker. When asked about his approach to winemaking, he doesn't hesitate to emphasize one foundational truth, "Boots in the vineyard are what create great wines in the cellar."
This philosophy, instilled in him by his mentors Bob Cabral and Cary Gott, drives everything at Bricoleur. Across two estate vineyards totaling 63 acres, Tom and his team farm 12 different grape varieties with intimate knowledge of each rootstock, clone, and how they respond to different techniques. "We are focused on farming the best fruit possible," he explains. "When you're working with 12 varieties across that acreage, you develop a real understanding of each one."
That commitment begins in the vineyard and carries through to the cellar, where the philosophy shifts but remains rooted in respect for the fruit. The team practices organic farming (not yet certified, but moving toward regenerative agriculture practices) and constantly asks themselves, "How are we putting more back into the soil than we're taking out?"
Sustainability as a Way of Life
Bricoleur's approach to sustainability extends far beyond vineyard management. The winery has developed a holistic model where farming, winemaking, and culinary operations work in concert. Over 230 olive trees provide oil for the kitchen's culinary program. An eighth-acre garden managed by "Farmer Mikey" has been transformed into what Tom calls "a little oasis" of bees, vegetables, and rotating crops. This produce moves directly from field to plate—literally, given Bricoleur's "estate to plate" philosophy that guides collaboration between the vineyard, kitchen, and cellar.
One of Tom's favorite examples of this integration: the team now produces verjus, tart grape juice made from second-crop grapes used as an alternative to citrus throughout the kitchen. This idea was born from conversations with Chef Thomas Bellec, previous Executive Chef to Bricoleur, now Chief Culinary Director at Appellation Hotels. Rather than waste secondary fruit, Chef Bellec asked, "Why not turn it into something?" Tom notes, "It's always about creative collaboration and driving quality higher.”
What does all this actually mean? According to Tom, it's simple: "It's looking at what you're taking and asking of that place, that piece of land, and what you're putting back. When you're really invested in it and really live it, it shows itself in the final product."
What Makes Russian River Valley Special
Bricoleur's estate sits in what Tom calls the "middle reach" of Russian River Valley's northeastern section—technically in the town of Windsor but close enough to capture what makes the region legendary. The AVA encompasses multiple sub-regions, each with distinct microclimates that express themselves in the finished wine.
"The beauty of where we are," Tom explains, "is that we get slightly warmer days but the diurnal shift at night is still so drastic that the cold nights really preserve freshness." This creates Pinot Noirs with texture and spice, and Chardonnays of remarkable balance. Working with seven different Pinot Noir clones and two Chardonnay clones on their 20-acre estate vineyard gives the team an unparalleled ability to express the site's character.
"On a warmer year, our Pinot comes off the vine a little sooner than our friends on the West Sonoma Coast," he notes. "In a colder year, our Pinot can fare a little better than the coast because we're not fighting the same mildew pressure." It's this Goldilocks positioning that makes the region—and Bricoleur's specific location within it—so compelling for serious winemaking.
The Person Behind the Wine
After a long day in the vineyard, Tom reaches for Pinot Noir—and not just because he's a Pinot winemaker. "It's versatile. It goes with any meal," he says, noting that he enjoys the ritual of cooking with his wife. But what his choice really reveals, he admits with characteristic self-awareness, is "a certain level of obsession. Pinot is a finicky grape. It requires that. You kind of have to be obsessed with it to make it express itself."
Tom's path to winemaking wasn't straightforward. He studied food science and agriculture in undergrad, drawn to the sciences and natural systems thinking. "My draw to winemaking was my appreciation for good wine as I was immersed in food and agricultural science," he explains. When the opportunity came to transition into the wine industry, he "went all in."
After completing his Winemaking Certificate at UC Davis, Tom credits his real education to time spent in the field and at shared winemaking facilities where peers and mentors openly collaborated. For inspiration, Tom travels when he can. Trips to Burgundy and Bordeaux have been "incredibly eye-opening," but he emphasizes again that his real education comes from the peers and mentors around him.
Outside the cellar, Tom's world has shifted dramatically in the best way. "My wife and our 1-year-old boy, that's my whole world right now," he says. The family hikes regularly throughout Sonoma County, and Tom often turns to trail running to reset and refocus.
As for his new role as Head Winemaker, Tom sees it as an opportunity to be quite literally, a tastemaker for his millennial generation. "I want to build the bridge for the new wine drinker and the younger wine drinker. I want to show them why great wine should be at their dinner table." This mindset—connecting legacy winemaking with an emerging generation of wine enthusiasts—feels perfectly suited to Bricoleur's mission.
Gathering Around the Table: Bricoleur's Culinary Experiences
What truly sets Bricoleur apart is how winemaking and dining have become inseparable. In partnership with Chef Charlie Palmer and Chef Thomas Bellec, Executive Chef Todd Knoll and his team have developed a series of immersive tasting experiences that showcase how wine and food elevate one another.
Rooted is the flagship experience—an immersive wine and culinary journey that sits at the heart of Bricoleur's philosophy. Guests explore the art of pairing through a carefully curated menu of six seasonal dishes, each paired with six Bricoleur wines and intimate conversation.
Soaring offers a lighter introduction to this philosophy—three Bricoleur wines paired with three small seasonal bites sourced from the estate and local farms. It's Bricoleur's way of saying great wine and food should be accessible, welcoming, and rooted in community.
Homegrown is simply three exceptional Bricoleur wines, designed to highlight the essence of the winemaking philosophy itself. No distractions, just the wines—each a testament to the meticulous work happening in the vineyard and cellar.
New for winter 2025, Après Bricoleur brings a different kind of gathering to life. Partnering with Pendleton, the experience unfolds in a cozy greenhouse outfitted with Pendleton's iconic patterns, evoking the warmth of après-ski in wine country. Guests enjoy fondue and raclette paired with Bricoleur's Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, plus a decadent Cabernet hot cocoa. It's intimate, intentional, and unmistakably Sonoma.
Your Exclusive Appellation Experience: Taste of Bricoleur
For guests staying at Appellation Healdsburg, we've created something truly special. Our Taste of Bricoleur package pairs luxury accommodations with an immersive introduction to what makes Bricoleur one of our most beloved partner wineries.
Your stay includes:
- Luxury Deluxe King accommodations for two
- A welcome bottle of Bricoleur's Isla Rosé Brut upon arrival
- An exclusive special-priced Rooted experience at Bricoleur Vineyards
- 10% off any wine purchases during your visit
It's more than a tasting. It's an invitation to understand how a special piece of Russian River Valley land, tended with intention by dedicated hands, becomes wine that brings people together.
*All images courtesy of Bricoleur Vineyards.