Jeff Wooledge’s path to wine is far from atypical in today’s world: man in corporate job learns to love wine during business dinners, starts vacationing to wine festivals, and then finds himself making a barrel during global pandemic. What is distinct about the story of Wooledge’s brand Fate’s Lieutenant — which began in earnest with the 2021 vintage and now produces about 200 cases a year — is how much he’s relying on his Midwestern roots to inform the future.
“You keep your head down and work hard — it’s not a flashy lifestyle,” said Wooledge of growing up in Ohio and working in Michigan, where he’s been since 2011. “Winemaking in a lot of ways is well suited for that background and skillset. It’s not sexy work, and I’m not somebody who’s afraid to work hard and get their hands dirty. That certainly helps.”
It was at the Nantucket Wine Festival in 2020 that a Sonoma winemaker invited Wooledge out to his first harvest. The next year, when he decided to get serious, Wooledge connected with Jessica Gasca at Story of Soil in Buellton, as she was taking on customer crush clients. “We’re philosophically very aligned,” he said of Gasca.
They make lean yet expressive pinot noirs and chardonnays together, with sauvignon blanc planned for next year. With his inventory now growing, Wooledge is starting to focus more on selling wine in 2026, explaining, “I need to turn this hobby into an actual business.”
It’s also a family affair, as his wife, Ariana, joins for harvest. “She’s my partner in crime,” he said. “She puts up with my passion project of trying to pursue this crazy dream.”
The name refers to the three Fates of Greek mythology, as if the project was meant to be. “Maybe it was just destiny,” he said. “You need to be a little crazy to get into winemaking. Something about it just pulled me in.”
The beauty of Santa Barbara and romance of the craft keeps him coming back. “Certainly for somebody who’s in snowy, gray conditions a lot of the year” he said, “it’s invigorating to come out to California.”
Fate’s Lieutenant will be at the Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure in Solvang on February 7. See thefateslieutenant.com.
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