Husband-and-wife winemaking team Karin and Justin Warnelius-Miller share their vision
October 23, 2025 (Geyserville, CA) — 2026 represents a year of retrospection and celebration at Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards Winery as the family is set to commemorate 25 years of winemaking. In preparation, the proprietors welcome two notable members of the wine industry to their management team.
Karin and Justin Warnelius-Miller, second-generation winegrape growers and winemakers at Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards Winery in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley and founders of Anderson Valley-based Golden Fleece Vineyard, are pleased to announce that they have welcomed two notable members of the wine industry to their management team. Sandra Beals, a leading expert in consumer engagement, joins as Private Membership Manager, while Ignacio Rodriguez brings a 40-year background in vineyard operations to his role as Estate Manager.
Sandra Beals, Global Wine Consumer Engagement Specialist and Industry Advisor, has joined the team as Private Membership Manager. A pioneer of the Direct-to-Consumer Wine Industry, Sandra launched her consulting and training firm, DTC Wine Workshops, in 2013. With a background in sales, marketing and technology, Beals supported winery stakeholders across the US, Canada, and Australia as a direct-to-consumer brand builder. Considered a thought leader, she was a regular speaker at industry events across the globe and contributed to notable publications.
“I am honored to join the Garden Creek team at this stage in their journey. Having supported Karin and Justin as trusted advisors for the past eight years, I am well aware of the admiration they receive from their long-standing members and industry peers. We will remain focused on providing extraordinary experiences as I come alongside this remarkable family,” shares Sandra.
At the ranch, the family welcomes Ignacio Rodriguez as their new Estate Manager. He brings vast knowledge to Garden Creek with a 40-year background in the wine industry. Ignacio managed River Oaks Vineyard in the Alexander Valley for his entire career prior to joining Garden Creek. Having supported brands ranging from Simi Winery to Clos du Bois, he is a multifaceted specialist in vineyard management and wine production and is respected among growers and winemakers across Northern California.
“I am very happy to join the Garden Creek family to work hand in hand with Justin and Karin at their historic and innovative estate,” says Ignacio.
Karin and Justin Warnelius-Miller share their vision for their family business in this next phase of growth: “Our family has always been driven by a desire to seek complexity and refinement in our land. We are thrilled to welcome both Sandra and Ignacio, with their individual dedication and expertise to the wine industry and now joining our family to help us evolve the next era at Garden Creek.”
About Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards Winery and the Wärnelius-Miller Family Vineyards
The Warnelius-Miller family has been winegrowing since 1969 at Garden Creek in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley. Nestled between the Russian River on the west and the Mayacamas Mountains on the east, the area is renowned for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay rivaling the world’s greatest vineyards. Comprising 100 acres, the Garden Creek property rises in elevation from 225 to 625 feet above sea level. The estate has been sustainably farmed with regenerative and organic practices for the last thirty years, and the diverse hillside vineyards are matched in soil diversity by the strength of the grand mountains above. In 2001, husband and wife team, Karin and Justin Warnelius-Miller, began producing exquisite, handcrafted wines from the estate. The two share a relentless vision of fine articulate winegrowing and believe in the intimate relationship of a farmer’s hand with the vine, and the power of family, all beginning with the land. The family has always believed in community, and Karin serves on the board of directors for the California Association of Winegrape Growers and Justin is a board member with the Russian River Property Owners Association—currently focused on establishing an Alexander Valley Water District.
In addition to cultivating winegrapes in Alexander Valley, they are entrenched in high-elevation Pinot Noir production in Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley at Golden Fleece Vineyard. Respectively, the wines made from the family’s estate vineyards are produced under the Garden Creek and WärneliusMiller. These wines are crafted to evoke intrigue, elegance and grace and to age unequivocally for decades in the bottle. From the Garden Creek vineyard, the Warnelius-Miller family crafts two wines: the Garden Creek Tesserae, Estate Red Wine Cabernet Sauvignon and the Garden Creek Chardonnay, Estate Clonal Selection. From the Golden Fleece Vineyard, the Warnelius-Miller family crafts the WärneliusMiller Pinot Noir. Garden Creek is only open by request for private wine tasting and tours, and to members of the mailing list.
Follow on Social Media
Instagram: @gardencreekvineyards, @warneliusmillervineyards
Website: https://www.gardencreekvineyards.com, https://warneliusmiller.com/
