The Story

Claudia had always dreamed of having an olive grove, and Andrew thought it would be an adventure to grow grapes and make wine.

Rancho Boa Vista is home to Andrew Solt and Claudia Falkenburg who have been spending half their time in the Santa Ynez Valley for 40 years. Like most of us, they like to enjoy a glass of wine, but it was only after a number of years at RBV that they decided to plant there and become part-time farmers. Claudia had always dreamed of having an olive grove, and Andrew thought it would be an adventure to grow grapes and make wine.

Andrew’s career has focused on making films and television specials. It was in the mid-70’s when he was producing documentaries for the Cousteaus, and living in Paris working with Jacques Cousteau and his son, Phillippe. It was then that his appreciation and fascination with wine took flight. Weekends were often spent visiting wineries in Bordeaux, the Loire, the Rhone Valley and tasting good wines in restaurants throughout France. The wine bug bit him then, and over time it grew and evolved.

Andrew has made documentary feature films about John Lennon, The Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley. He has produced and directed numerous television specials and worked with legends Jeff Bridges, Carol Burnett, Bob Hope, Mary Tyler Moore, Jackie Gleason, Quincy Jones and many others. He is also responsible for creating various programs from the historic Ed Sullivan Show archive.

Today Claudia and Andrew treasure the joy of communing with nature, interacting with the ever-changing elements and experiencing the annual spring to harvest cycle that gives rise to each RBV wine. It’s their pleasure to offer a memorable wine experience to everyone who raises a glass of Rancho Boa Vista. It’s also a salute to the rich heritage of wine and modern viticultural techniques that transport one to a special place and time. Rancho Boa Vista is the expression of a wine experience that promises to delight and inspire.