After graduating from UC Davis in 1984, John Bucher returned to Healdsburg to manage the family dairy operation, Bucher Farms, eventually transitioning the herd to an organic dairy farm. John continued on his parent’s path of growing the dairy herd, while also looking for opportunities to diversify to higher-value crops to stay economically sustainable.

In 1997, after two years of researching wine grape varietals, analyzing soils, and talking to neighboring grape growers, John planted the first Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir blocks for Bucher Farms. Additional plantings of Pinot Noir and eventually Chardonnay followed in 1998, 1999, 2006, 2008, and 2009. Today, Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir grapes are sold by Bucher Farms to several notable Sonoma County wineries, including Williams Selyem, Siduri Wines, Papapietro Perry, Kosta Brown, C. Donatiello, and others.

Today the 700-cow organic dairy is the mainstay of the ranch, while the vineyard acreage has grown. Today, Bucher Vineyard consists of 38 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes on 15 distinct blocks farmed by John for Bucher Farms. The organic practices used on the farm and dairy carry over into the vineyard, where John uses sustainable viticulture practices.

With the 2011 harvest, John and his wife Diane, along with help from their children, crushed their first grapes for Bucher Wines. As a working dairy, farm, and vineyard, it is truly a family affair. Their children Elizabeth, Hannah, Jack, and Tony Klisura are the third generation of Buchers to work on this family farm.

In 2013, when the first vintage of Bucher Wines was ready for release, Diane Kircher Bucher left behind her career in textile sales to work full time for the winery. Wearing too many hats to list, Diane keeps things moving. Her primary goal is to connect with as many folks as possible, getting them to taste the Bucher Vineyard wines. She is often found pouring wine for restaurateurs, retailers, and public events where anyone with a ticket can try their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

With a lengthy farming tradition and history, the John and Diane Bucher Family look forward to sharing their grape growing and winemaking experiences with you for many years and generations to come.