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Big White House Winery
John Evan Cellars
LIVERMORE VALLEY
Although it may seem odd for a three-year old to choose the name for
a California winery, it makes perfect sense when you hear the story of
Winemaker John Evan Marion.
John witnessed the winemaking process from an early age, and grew
up with wine being made in his backyard. His parents, John the Elder
and Diana, moved the family from a small tract home into a high-ceiling,
white, Colonial Revival-style house when he was just a toddler. And as you
may have guessed, young John Evan deemed it "the big white house."
Years later, when the winemaking began, the adults liked the sound of it
and labeled the wine as such—and the name has stuck ever since.
John picked up winemaking as a hobby and started officially getting his
hands dirty at the ripe age of 15. He got the chance to sample vintages
on trips to Paris even earlier. John went commercial in 1998 and has been
honing his craft over the last few decades. In the early days, he had to
distinguish his work from his father's, hence the name John Evan Cellars.
At family gatherings, his father John II, (now Winemaker Emeritus) was
referred to as Johnny, while the young winemaker, John III, was known as
John Evan. As the years passed, John's friends entered into the corporate
world and began to express dissatisfaction with work life, which made
John even more certain he had found his calling. He fell in love with the
art, labor, long hours, and what felt like magic, of the enological life.
FACING PAGE: The little barn turned winery features doors
made from century-old, redwood wine tanks and stunning
sunset-soaked vineyard views.
TOP: The rustic, yet refined, aesthetic welcomes you into the
homey tasting room.
Photographs by Adam J Clark
