Meet Our Vintners: Knights Bridge Winery

A Conversation with Winemaker Derek Baljeu

In 2006, several family members stumbled upon something rare—50 acres of hillside vineyards perched on the pristine west side of Knights Valley, Sonoma County's warmest appellation. What began as a discovery became a singular mission—to produce world-class wines with intention, authenticity, and a deep respect for place. Today, Knights Bridge Winery stands as a testament to that vision, and at the helm is Winemaker Derek Baljeu, whose philosophy centers on one guiding principle—make the least impact possible while bringing out the truest expression of the estate.

We sat down with Derek to explore what makes Knights Bridge one of our most cherished partner wineries and to understand the philosophy that shapes every bottle.

The Philosophy: Less Impact, Truest Expression

Derek's approach to winemaking is refreshingly straightforward, yet deceptively profound. "My winemaking philosophy is simple," he explains. "I'm trying to make myself have the least impact out of all of the things that go into it. And what that looks like is being in touch with a vineyard, knowing what that looks like in the world of wine, and then trying to bring out the truest expression of it."

This isn't about ego or technique for technique's sake. It's about listening. Recently, while blending Chardonnays with his cellar team, they posed the question, "What do we do to make the best Chardonnay in California?" Derek's response reframed the entire conversation. "I said, that's a good question, but what do we do to make the best expression of this property? How do we take into consideration what's going on around us, by bringing forward what we have under our feet?"

That philosophy extends directly to the vineyard, where Derek brings both intellectual rigor and hands-on passion. With a background in viticulture from UC Davis—where he also played collegiate football—Derek understands that great winemaking begins long before the harvest. "Basically, we’re not supposed to [mess] up all the good stuff that happens out in the vineyard," he says with characteristic candor, "then my job is to make all the decisions around the wine which begins in the vineyard. It's a proactive approach, not a reactive one—fixing things in the vineyard so there are no problems in the winery. I like to make my job very easy."

Farming as Stewardship

Knights Bridge transitioned to organic certification in 2019, completing the three-year process by 2022, though the commitment to sustainable farming dates back to the winery's founding in 2006. But for Derek, organic certification is just the beginning. The real motivation is simpler and more personal.

"We're a family-owned winery," Derek explains. "We often have my dogs or the owners’ kids and grandkids running around on the property. So why expose anybody to things we wouldn't feel comfortable walking around with? It’s really easy just trying to make it as livable as we can through organic practices and working towards regenerative farming principles."

This approach includes bee boxes for pollination, flower gardens to boost biodiversity, composting, and carbon fixing. It's a philosophy that treats the vineyard as an interconnected whole—not just the vines, but the dogs, the kids, the workers, everyone involved. "It's thinking about it as a kind of holistic and healthy ecosystem," Derek says simply.

What Makes Knights Valley Special

Before joining Knights Bridge, Derek worked in Napa and Sonoma's most prestigious vineyards. He quickly realized that Knights Valley occupies a unique position—one that deserves far more recognition than it typically receives.
"Knights Valley is kind of this middle ground between Napa and Sonoma," Derek explains. "You have the same soils, similar elevation, and a very similar afternoon climate to Napa Valley, which gives wines a chance to get to their fullest expression. And then on the flip side, in the mornings and at night, you have very cool, very foggy coastal conditions."

That creates what Derek calls the "Goldilocks" effect—the warmth and flavor development of Napa afternoons balanced against the cool morning and evening air that preserves freshness and acidity. "It's this really fun balance where you get the expression from that afternoon sun and warmer weather, but the mornings draw everything back. You end up with freshness, acidity, and full flavor development."

That climate flexibility also means creative freedom. While Knights Bridge is known for exceptional Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon, the appellation's conditions allow winemakers to explore the full spectrum—from Grüner Veltliner through Bordeaux varieties. "The coolest thing is all these producers are known for different things," Derek notes. "You just have a lot more leeway with what you can grow."

Beyond the Packaging: The People Behind the Brand

If there's one thing Derek wishes more people knew about Knights Bridge, it's this—look past the polished packaging and you'll find something beautifully authentic.

"From the outside, the brand, the packaging, everything looks very traditional, very upscale, which it is," he says. "But I don't want people to overlook how down to earth and grassroots the property and the people are. While we're this big fancy brand with a big fancy winery, the story is really about how authentic all the people are and how much we care about making this property and bringing it to light."

That authenticity extends across their portfolio. Knights Bridge makes bottles ranging from a rare, limited Cab Franc reserved for friends and family to a $40 Sauvignon Blanc that Derek considers one of their finest values. At the end of a long day, Derek typically reaches for one of these accessible wines—the estate Sauvignon Blanc or the Chardonnay—not because they're less complex, but because they embody the same intentionality as every other bottle they produce. "There's no favorite child in the cellar," Derek emphasizes. "Everything's meant to be the highest quality."

The Path to Winemaking

Derek's journey to winemaking was serendipitous. At UC Davis, he missed sign-up for the freshman beer brewing class and landed in the winemaking class instead. What struck him wasn't the subject matter initially—it was the people. "Everybody showed up," he recalls. "It was an intimate class where students actually took notes, absolutely passionate and super interested."

That passion was contagious. Derek switched majors and dove into viticulture and enology while balancing playing football as a scholar-athlete. That drive continued as he spent his early career working in vineyards across Napa and Sonoma while earning his masters degree and contributing to groundbreaking research. He joined Knights Bridge in 2019 as Enologist, was promoted to Assistant Winemaker, and became Head Winemaker in 2021—his first vintage in the new state-of-the-art winery.

Finding Inspiration Beyond Wine

Derek's creative approach draws from everywhere. A self-described surfer, snowboarder, guitarist, and roadtripper, he sees winemaking as one creative pursuit among many. "I think any creative pursuit is less about the actual medium—whether it's wine, art, music, whatever—and more about how it makes people feel," he reflects.

"Anything that draws emotion out of me, that's where I take a second look. It could be a Michelin-starred chef or someone making something great from a food stand. I'm trying to make something purely of the estate, thinking about the emotions wine brings and how I could translate that to what we're doing."

Knights Bridge at Appellation Healdsburg

Since opening, Appellation Healdsburg has cultivated something Travel & Leisure magazine recognized as distinctly valuable. In their recent feature, "A New 'Culinary Hotel' Just Opened in Sonoma County, California—and We Were the First to Stay," author Maya Kachroo-Levine noted:

"Happenings like on-site tastings with winemakers, artist residencies, and ins at coveted wineries have become de rigueur at Napa and Sonoma hotels. However, what sets Appellation apart is the relationships the hotel has developed with Sonoma wineries. The level of access guests benefit from when booking a Charlie Palmer hotel is quite noticeable. 'We'll pull out all the stops to squeeze in someone from Appellation,' says Kelley Bailey, who co-owns Knights Bridge Winery."

That access translates into tangible experiences. Knights Bridge has become a fixture on our wine lists at both Folia Bar & Kitchen and Andys Beeline Rooftop. You'll find their bottles on display at our reception, often featured in our weekly Wine Tastings, and showcased throughout special events and dinners. For guests seeking an introduction to Knights Valley's distinctive terroir, Knights Bridge offers the perfect entry point—world-class wines rooted in authentic hospitality and a genuine commitment to place.

Derek and the team at Knights Bridge embody what Appellation stands for— that luxury should be impressive but never pretentious, that craftsmanship matters, and that the most compelling experiences come from real relationships built on mutual respect and a shared love of great wine, great food, and the places we call home.

*All images courtesy of Knights Bridge Winery.