Michael’s start in biochemistry put him on the path of doing difficult things. After a brief career in the field, that path led him to the wine industry; first in the labs and then to the cellars of Napa. He co-founded Ultramarine in 2008, followed by Cruse Wine Company in 2013, using sparkling wine to examine uniquely Californian soils and sites. In 2016, he was named the San Francisco Chronicle’s Winemaker of the Year. He continues to be passionately focused on sparkling wines and new-world refinements of technique as a lens to illuminate terroir.
When not at the winery or in a vineyard, Michael is often swimming or free diving. His desert island album is Money Jungle.