Marty Winters & Alex Pitts

Considering the tight relationship between food and wine, it’s surprising how few chefs make the leap from kitchens to cellars. But on the rare occasion that it does happen, the results are about as amazing as you’d expect. Take Maître de Chai, founded in 2012 by longtime friends Marty Winters and Alex Pitts. After working in some of California’s top kitchens — including Cyrus, Quince, and the French Laundry — the two former chefs decided to trade in their Crocs for Blundstones and make a life in wine. Today, Alex and Marty are joined by their respective partners — Stephanie Pitts (all things web) and Jessica Force (creative director, tasting room) — who have helped grow Maître de Chai into one of the most dynamic indie wineries in California. Their calling card is an uncompromising commitment to sourcing only the highest quality, organically farmed fruit — a carryover from Alex and Marty’s ingredient-driven ethos as chefs.