November 4, 2024 (San Luis Obispo County, CA) – Rancho Arroyo Grande, a sweeping estate covering over 3,500 acres of wild country within the SLO Coast AVA, is under new ownership. One of many vast parcels controlled by early Spanish rancheros, the newly independent Mexican government granted the ranch to Zeferino Carlon in 1842 who retained the land grant following the U.S.-Mexico war. In the ensuing years, owners utilized this land for a range of functions including winemaking, cattle grazing and a support facility for Mission San Luis Obispo.
Twenty years ago, Dr. Soon Kim visited the estate and envisioned a sanctuary; a behavioral health treatment center free of constraints to access the healing potential of nature. The elder Kim’s vision came to fruition elsewhere. And today, the Kim family’s ownership of the iconic ranch is led by Dr. Kim’s progeny, Eric and Kathleen. Their stewardship of Rancho Arroyo Grande centers sustainable land management practices supported by collaborative community engagement.
Informed by their contributions to the fields of mental health, social justice, and the arts, Eric and Kathleen foreground equitable inclusivity in their work. Eric is Senior VP of Strategic Initiatives for the nation’s largest privately held system of behavioral health treatment facilities. He sits on the founding board of GYOPO, a non-profit collective of Korean diasporic artists and cultural producers, and is co-owner of the contemporary art gallery, Belami. Kathleen is a tenured law professor at LMU Loyola Law School, where she recently served as the inaugural Associate Dean of Equity and Inclusion. Prior to joining the legal academy, Kathleen launched the nation’s first legal services program that advanced the civil rights of immigrant trafficked workers. She is also an experimental musician and composer. A student of the late avant-jazz innovator Yusef Lateef, Kathleen’s performance highlights include the openings of the 2012 Whitney Biennial and the 2017 Venice Biennale.
Eric and Kathleen bring their ethos to Rancho Arroyo Grande’s 230 acres of organically and sustainably farmed vineyards. The vineyards, composed of nine varieties, produce grapes distinct in quality due to the unique microclimates and soil profiles that characterize the property. The Kim siblings hope to grow a community of inventive winemakers who share an appreciation of holistic ecosystems that integrate agriculture within wilderness rich in biodiversity.
Sandy Matthews, a fourth-generation rancher from Arroyo Grande’s Huasna Valley, joins the Rancho Arroyo Grande team as Vineyard Manager. Previously, Matthews managed esteemed designates including Sanford and Benedict, Rita’s Crown, Mt. Harlan, and Clos Pepe. “It’s a full-circle moment for me to be managing the Rancho Arroyo Grande estate vineyards. I grew up around here and have long been fascinated by this property. It’s a remote, untamed environment with a lot of biodiversity. Wildlife is abundant here and we are literally sharing this land with black bears, feral hogs, bobcats, coyotes, deer, mountain lions, foxes, osprey, bald eagles. You name it. I’m very excited about the quality and singularity of fruit we’re seeing on the vines this vintage,” says Matthews.
Eager to experience their own wine sourced from their grapes, Eric and Kathleen have partnered with some of today’s most exciting creatives, including sommelier turned vigneron, Rajat Parr (Phelan Farms), winemaker James Sparks (Kings Carey, Liquid Farm), Artist Nick Fisher (El Prado) and winemaker Riley O’Neil Latta. The first Rancho Arroyo Grande Vineyards wines will enter the marketplace in the spring of 2025.
“We are mindful of the complicated history that shaped Rancho Arroyo Grande including indigenous dispossession, war, and U.S. laws and political economy. Guided by the pillars of community, creativity, collaboration, and service, we aspire to contribute to a progressive cultural shift through the regeneration and activation of the rich agricultural and natural resources of Rancho Arroyo Grande,” says Kathleen.
The estate property, which includes an event center and a high-fidelity music recording studio in a retreat setting, functions as a hub for creative practitioners seeking inspiration within a collaborative space. Eric and Kathleen recognize the artistry in winemaking and hope that its interaction with other art forms, moved by the profound beauty of Rancho Arroyo Grande, help to catalyze a broader community connected by their creative imaginations.
To learn more about Rancho Arroyo Grande, please visit https://www.ragvineyards.com/
