Bruce and Barbara Neyers, high school and college classmates, moved to the Bay Area while Bruce was serving in the U.S. Army. Following his discharge, his interest in wine led him to a job at a San Francisco wine importing company. In late 1971, he met Bob Travers, then owner of Mayacamas Vineyards, and he was hired to work at Mayacamas soon after. He and Barbara moved to Europe in 1974, where he worked in Germany and France. In 1975, he joined Joseph Phelps Vineyards. In 1992, he teamed up with Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant where he spent the next 25 years. His passion for French, Italian and German wines led him to create his own California winery with a plan to utilize the Old-World techniques he’d learned over the years.

Like any talented winemaker, Tadeo feels that winemaking starts in the vineyard. Of his on-the-job experience and training, he observes, “Inspiration and intuition are the guiding forces.“ Borchardt grew up in Arizona and southern California, then made wine in Sonoma and New Zealand, before joining Neyers Vineyards in 2004. Over the years, he has accompanied Bruce on several trips to France and Italy, and has met many of the  vignerons with whom Bruce worked. These producers frequently arranged to have their sons and daughters move to California for extended periods of training and technical education with Tadeo. They in turn provided Tadeo with a thorough understanding of the benefits of traditional, old-world winemaking. The wines he crafts for Neyers have been influenced by these talented winemakers. “The Old World ethos allows a wine to taste like it wants to taste,” Borchardt says.

Lizzie Neyers was born on the Neyers Ranch, and raised amidst the vineyards. As a child, during evening walks Bruce and Barbara taught her how to remove lateral shoots and suckers from vines. At harvest, she learned to pick leaves from the bins. She drove the tractor like a seasoned pro, and earned spending money inspecting grapes at the sorting table. She worked several harvests with Tadeo, and has logged hours in the winery tasting room. She accompanied Bruce on several of his trips to France, and has met many of the European producers who influence the Neyers wines today, tasting a range of remarkable wines along the way. She has also worked tirelessly in the kitchen with Barbara, training herself to be a talented home cook. A high-level competitor in ‘Dressage’, Lizzie has been a serious horse lover since childhood. She earned a degree in Animal Science and was certified as a Veterinary Technician. For eight years, she specialized in emergency and critical care for animals. Her interest in the family business and her appreciation of wine have now called her back to the family business.