Company Bios
Introducing the people behind the wine.
Owsley Brown III, President
Owsley began working in the wine industry in 1993 at Napa Valley’s Mayacamas Vineyards and two years later co-founded Chameleon Cellars, a Napa Valley boutique label. In 2000 he was introduced to Biodynamic winegrowing at Mendocino’s Bonterra Ranch while working for the Brown-Forman Wine Estates Group. This experience cultivated Owsley’s great passion for Biodynamic wines and later inspired him to launch Magnanimus Wine Group, a company dedicated to producing authentic and distinct wines that reflect not only a sense of place, but also the highest standards of quality and environmental stewardship.
Josh Metz, General Manager
Josh is responsible for day-to-day management of MWG business and has been integral to defining the company’s culture and direction since joining the company in 2007. Josh enjoys cultivating interest in our natural wines and sharing the wine lifestyle with our guests and business partners. Before joining Magnanimus Josh was Director of Business Development for Ceago Vinegarden, one of California’s first certified Biodynamic wineries. Josh worked with owner Jim Fetzer and his family from 2001-2006 to create Ceago’s company vision, expand national distribution and produce a cutting-edge wine country resort development plan. Josh holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from UC Berkeley, a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology from Humboldt State and completed advanced graduate studies at the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara.
Paolo Caciorgna, Consulting Enologist
Paolo Caciorgna hails from San Gimignano, Italy, the medieval Tuscan town made famous for Vernaccia, one of the country’s oldest white grape varietals. After studying viticulture and enology in Siena, Paolo has emerged on the Italian scene as a winemaking luminary, consulting for over 25 Italian wineries and winning numerous accolades for wines like Cesani’s San Giovese Luenzo and Chianti Clasico Riserva ‘Le Fonti.’ A decade-long friendship and partnership was born when Owsley spent a year in Tuscany studying under Paolo. Magnanimus Wine Group is thoroughly blessed as the only American winery touched by Paolo’s graces.
Cesar Toxqui, Winery Manager
Cesar is a good natured, dedicated winemaker with a strong work ethic and attention to detail. He is also an accomplished poet and citizen of the world. Cesar has been managing the daily activity in the Magnanimus Cellar since the spring 2008. Along with overseeing quality control and regular wine sampling and crafting for Magnanimus, Cesar also produces small batches of his own private label, Cesar Toxqui Cellars. Cesar enjoys living in the Ukiah Valley with his wife & two kids.
Ken Boek, Wine & Garden Educator
Ken lives the Mendocino wine lifestyle that inspires many. Having spent the past 35 years making a home in the Ukiah and Redwood Valley area, Ken is a fixture who offers our guests & visitors an unmatched experience of place. Whether it be talking about the nuances of a particular vintage, explaining the history of one of Mendocino’s landmarks, giving insight into the seasonal changes in the garden, or relating one of the many colorful tales from Mendocino Kens infectious enthusiasm and good nature makes him the ideal Ambassador of Wine for Magnanimus Wine Group. When you visit us at Campovida look for Ken at his garden bar and if you’re lucky maybe even catch one of his world famous tours.
Megan Metz, Hospitality Manager
Megan enjoys organizing events. She joined the Magnanimus Group in 2009 to play a key role in managing our event schedule, coordinating marketing activities, building our wine club and just about any other of the many support roles needed to keep a small company growing. When she’s not answering phones, planning for our next event, or coordinating the delivery of wine club shipments she can be found getting her hands dirty in the cellar, preparing a beautiful spread of food & wines for guests, joining the fun on one of our many wine tours & taking some time to get outside and enjoy the wonderful north coast landscape.
John March, Tasting Room & Wine Club Manager
Born and raised in Mendocino County, John grew up in a farming family that raised livestock, pears, walnuts and wine grapes before going off to college in Denver, CO. After moving back to the area with a hospitality/culinary/marketing background John is aiding in the startup and day to day management of the Magnanimus Wine Group’s tasting room – Mendocino Farms “A Place to Taste” at Campovida in Hopland, CA. “Its great to be back in Mendocino County and working for a company that really does treat everyone they encounter as family”.