Hiro Yamamoto is a former executive of Suntory, Japan's corporate behemoth involved in beverages, pharmaceuticals, restaurants, sports, music, film, resort development, publishing and more. He was also CEO of the Japanese branch of the H.J. Heinz Company - another mammoth corporation - so he knows about fine food and wine.

Suntory owned Chateau St. Jean winery. Hiro came here and fell in love with Sonoma County.