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Our People
Wines are made in the vineyard. But it’s the people that matter. With six estate vineyards in Monterey County, our winery and cellar crews have served as stewards of the land for the 40-year history of the brand, honoring the legacy of the Hahn Family while carefully honing their craft and bringing out the very best from our estate vineyards.
Meet the Hahn Team
Paul Clifton, Director of Winemaking
A Monterey County native, Paul Clifton took a roundabout path to the world of winemaking. Tossing aside a degree in finance to explore a newfound love of wine, he began in the cellars of Carmel Valley and the Santa Cruz mountains, eventually heading to New Zealand to earn a postgraduate degree in viticulture. Paul joined Hahn Family Wines upon his return in 2003, and worked his way up the ladder, developing an innate understanding of Central Coast vineyards. His deep respect for the vineyards and sustainable winegrowing defines his work in the cellar and, ultimately, in the bottle.
Patrick Headley, Director of Viticulture
A native to the Soledad Mission, Patrick was a third-generation farmer, taught to drive a tractor as soon as his legs were long enough to push the clutch. After studying soil science at Cal Poly SLO, he worked at Monterey County’s Agriculture Commissioner’s office and then University of California’s Cooperative Extension in Monterey for an eight-year stint, gaining a wealth of knowledge in all fields of agriculture. Patrick joined Hahn in 2007, and spends his days walking the same vineyards he explored as a child, always balancing vine health for exceptional wine quality.
Juan Jo Verdina, Winemaker
Born in Chile, Juan Jo Verdina travelled to the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey in 2002 to join the Hahn Estate's cellar team. Over the years, he learned the trade hands on, moving from cellar to lab to bottling line to assistant winemaker. In 2008, he was named winemaker of Copa Del Ray, a Chilean joint-venture between the Hahn Family and the Canavaggio Family of Panama. Juan Jo returned to Hahn’s Central Coast team in 2011, and today works closely with Director of Winemaking Paul Clifton on all aspects of wine production, from grape to bottle.
Megan Conatser, Winemaker
A native Californian educated at Cal Poly SLO, Megan began her wine career in Central Coast tasting rooms, learning to explain wine to others as she herself learned to craft it. After two harvests at a custom crush facility, she joined Hahn as an enologist in 2011. She was promoted to Assistant Winemaker in 2015, then Winemaker in 2017, focusing on the Smith & Hook label’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend. Working closely with Paul, Patrick and Juan Jo, Megan spends her harvest days checking the vineyards, monitoring fermentations, tasting, tasting, tasting as she goes.