GATOS LOCOS OF VINE HILL - scmwine/Wineries GitHub Wiki

Gatos Locos of Vine Hill / Vine Hill Winery

Infobox

  • Type: Winery (transitional operation)
  • Status: Closed (~2010)
  • Founded: ~2004 (first vintage)
  • Closed: ~2010 (operation ceased)
  • Region / AVA: Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
  • Location: 2300 Jarvis Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95065 (operated at this historic site)
  • Founders: Nick Guerrero, Sal Godinez (winemaker)
  • Final Status: Ceased operations ~2010; property continues as US-GRANT / UNION-VINEYARD
  • Winemakers: Sal Godinez
  • Associated vineyards: Vine Hill (historic site), Clements Ridge Vineyard, other purchased sources
  • Brands: Gatos Locos (primary), Cumbre (premium tier)
  • Relationship to property: Tenant or transitional operator at historic Vine Hill site (property owned by US-GRANT / Simons from 2004)
  • Historical significance: Brief but documented phase in 170+ year Vine Hill timeline; demonstrates challenges of operating during major vineyard transition

Summary

Gatos Locos of Vine Hill (also known as Vine Hill Winery) was a short-lived winery operation (approximately 2004-2010) that operated at the historic Vine Hill property (2300 Jarvis Road). Founded by Nick Guerrero and winemaker Sal Godinez, the operation produced wines under the Gatos Locos ("Crazy Cats") label, primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from multiple California sources.

Critical Clarification on Property Ownership:

Gatos Locos did not own the Vine Hill property. In 2004, Nat Simons & Laura Baxter-Simons (US-GRANT winery) purchased the land from Ken Burnap. Gatos Locos appears to have been a tenant, lessee, or transitional operator using the winery facilities at the site while the new owners:

  • Completely replanted the vineyard (2006-2008)
  • Waited for vines to mature
  • Eventually launched their own production (~2012)

Gatos Locos ceased operations around 2010, and the property continues today as US-GRANT winery producing from UNION-VINEYARD.

Why Both Stories Exist:

  • U.S. Grant: "We bought from Ken Burnap in 2004" ✓ (land ownership)
  • Gatos Locos records: Active 2004-2010 ✓ (winery operation as tenant)

This represents a transitional phase in the site's 170+ year history, demonstrating the complex succession that can occur when commercial wineries close.

Chronology

Vine Hill Site Context

Gatos Locos Era (2004-2010)

  • 2003 — Ken Burnap decides to retire from SANTA-CRUZ-MOUNTAIN-VINEYARD
  • 2004 — Property purchased by Nat Simons & Laura Baxter-Simons (US-GRANT)
  • ~2004 — Gatos Locos begins operations (Guerrero/Godinez) at the site
  • 2004 — Gatos Locos first vintage
  • 2006-2008 — Simons (property owners) replant entire vineyard (~6 acres)
  • 2004-2010 — Gatos Locos produces wines from multiple sources (not estate during replanting)
  • ~2010 — Gatos Locos ceases operations
  • ~2012 — US-GRANT (property owners) begin production from replanted UNION-VINEYARD

History

The 2003 Burnap Retirement and Complex Transition

In 2003, SANTA-CRUZ-MOUNTAIN-VINEYARD founder Ken Burnap decided to retire after nearly 30 years. The transition created an unusually complex outcome:

Three Separate Paths:

  1. SCMV Brand: Jeff Emery purchased name, inventory, equipment → continues as SANTA-CRUZ-MOUNTAIN-VINEYARD brand off-site
  2. Property: Nat Simons & Laura Baxter-Simons purchased land (2004) → becomes US-GRANT / UNION-VINEYARD
  3. Transitional Winery: Gatos Locos operated at the site (~2004-2010) → ceased

Gatos Locos Operation (2004-2010)

Founding:

Around 2004, Nick Guerrero and winemaker Sal Godinez launched Gatos Locos of Vine Hill / Vine Hill Winery.

The Model:

  • Multi-source winery: Purchased fruit from various California regions
  • Brands: Gatos Locos (primary), Cumbre (premium SCM Pinot Noir)
  • Varietals: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah
  • Key sources: Clements Ridge Vineyard (Chardonnay), Carneros (Pinot), Lodi (Chardonnay, Syrah), Santa Cruz Mountains

Relationship to Vine Hill Property:

While Gatos Locos operated "at" or "from" Vine Hill, the exact legal/business relationship is unclear:

  • Possible arrangements: Lease, tenant, partnership, transitional agreement
  • Property owners: Simons (purchased 2004) were replanting vineyard (2006-2008)
  • Timing mismatch: Vineyard being replanted = no estate fruit for Gatos Locos

This explains why Gatos Locos wines sourced from:

  • Clements Ridge Vineyard
  • Carneros
  • Lodi
  • Other regions

Not from estate Vine Hill during this period (vines too young/being replanted).

Why Gatos Locos Failed (~2010)

The operation ceased around 2010. Likely factors:

Structural Challenges:

  • No estate vineyard: Vineyard being replanted = no proprietary fruit source
  • Transitional phase: Operating during someone else's vineyard development
  • Small scale: Few hundred cases production
  • Competitive market: Santa Cruz Mountains has many established brands
  • Timing: 2008 recession hit wine industry hard

Property Owner Timeline:

  • Simons purchased 2004
  • Replanted 2006-2008
  • Waited for vine maturity
  • Launched own production ~2012

Gatos Locos likely:

  • Filled gap during vineyard replanting
  • Could not sustain without estate fruit
  • Ended as vineyard matured for owner's own production

Disposition of Brands

What happened to Gatos Locos and Cumbre brands after ~2010:

  • Ceased production
  • No longer active labels
  • (Exact disposition to be researched: sold? dormant? abandoned?)

Wines / Viticulture

Varietals Produced

  • Pinot Noir — Primary focus (Santa Cruz Mountains, Carneros)
  • Chardonnay — Major production (Clements Ridge Vineyard, Lodi, SCM)
  • Syrah — Secondary (Lodi)

Vineyard Sources

Key Purchased Fruit:

  • Clements Ridge Vineyard — Important Chardonnay source (Santa Cruz Mountains)
  • Carneros — Pinot Noir
  • Lodi — Chardonnay, Syrah
  • Santa Cruz Mountains — Various sources

NOT Estate Vine Hill:

  • Property owners (Simons) were replanting vineyard 2006-2008
  • Gatos Locos operated during transition when no estate fruit available

Production Style

Documented from CellarTracker (~2006-2009 vintages):

  • Multi-source commercial winery model
  • Vineyard-designated bottlings
  • Two quality tiers: Gatos Locos (primary), Cumbre (premium)

Notable Wines Documented:

  • 2009 Vine Hill Winery Pinot Noir
  • 2008-2009 Vine Hill Winery Chardonnay (multiple vineyard designations)
  • 2008 Vine Hill Winery Chardonnay Cumbre of Vine Hill
  • 2006-2009 Vine Hill Winery Chardonnay Gatos Locos of Vine Hill Clements Ridge Vineyard
  • Gatos Locos Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains
  • Gatos Locos Pinot Noir Carneros
  • Gatos Locos Syrah Lodi
  • Gatos Locos Chardonnay Lodi

Relationships

People

  • Nick Guerrero — Co-founder, business operations
  • Sal Godinez — Founding winemaker
  • Ken Burnap — Predecessor at Vine Hill site (SANTA-CRUZ-MOUNTAIN-VINEYARD)
  • Nat Simons & Laura Baxter-Simons — Actual property owners (2004-present, US-GRANT)
  • Jeff Emery — Purchased SCMV brand separately

Vineyards

  • Clements Ridge Vineyard — Key Chardonnay source
  • Carneros vineyards — Pinot Noir source
  • Lodi vineyards — Chardonnay, Syrah sources
  • Vine Hill / UNION-VINEYARD — Operated at this site but did not own; vineyard being replanted during operation

Related Wineries

Historical Significance

1. Documents the "Transitional Operator" Phenomenon

Gatos Locos demonstrates a common but under-documented wine industry pattern:

When major wineries close/sell:

  • Property ownership may transfer
  • Brand may continue separately
  • Transitional operators may use facilities during gap period

Gatos Locos as case study:

  • Operated at historic site (Vine Hill)
  • Did not own property
  • Filled gap while new owners replanted
  • Ceased when owners ready for own production

This pattern likely occurs frequently but is rarely documented, making Gatos Locos a valuable case study.

2. Challenges of Operating During Vineyard Transition

Gatos Locos highlights structural challenges of winery operations during vineyard replanting:

The Problem:

  • New owners replanting vineyard (2006-2008) = no estate fruit
  • Must source fruit elsewhere = no terroir connection to site
  • Competing with established brands using estate fruit = market disadvantage
  • Operating in someone else's property during transition = uncertain tenure

Outcome: Difficult to build sustainable business in this context.

3. Brief But Real Chapter in 170+ Year Site History

Despite short tenure (~6 years), Gatos Locos is a legitimate chapter in Vine Hill's history:

170+ Year Timeline:

  • 1850s-1879: Jarvis / Union Vineyard
  • 1879-1895: Villa Fontenay
  • 1933-1968: Locatelli
  • 1968-1974: David Bruce
  • 1974-2003: Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard
  • 2004-2010: Gatos Locos (transitional)
  • 2004-present: U.S. Grant (property owner, production from 2012)

Even brief chapters matter in documenting complete site history.

4. Illustrates Property vs. Brand vs. Operation Complexity

The 2003-2004 transition shows how wine businesses can fragment into multiple entities:

One Site → Three Outcomes:

  1. Brand: SANTA-CRUZ-MOUNTAIN-VINEYARD (Jeff Emery, continues off-site)
  2. Property: US-GRANT / UNION-VINEYARD (Simons, eventual producer)
  3. Transitional winery: Gatos Locos (Guerrero/Godinez, temporary)

This complexity makes wine history research challenging but important to document accurately.

Current Status

  • Operations: Closed (~2010)
  • Brands: Gatos Locos, Cumbre — Inactive (disposition unknown)
  • Property: Continues as US-GRANT / UNION-VINEYARD under Simons ownership
  • Legacy: Brief transitional chapter in 170+ year Vine Hill history

Open Questions / Research Leads

Exact Business Relationship

  • What was Gatos Locos' legal relationship to property?
    • Lease agreement?
    • Tenant arrangement?
    • Partnership with Simons?
    • Informal transition arrangement?
  • Business records, contracts, LLC filings

People Backgrounds

  • Nick Guerrero: Background? How did he become involved? What happened after Gatos Locos closed?
  • Sal Godinez: Winemaking background? Where did he go after ~2010?
  • Relationship between Guerrero and Simons: Business partners? Separate entities?

Brand Disposition

  • What happened to Gatos Locos and Cumbre brands?
    • Sold to another producer?
    • Dormant/abandoned?
    • Could be revived?
  • Trademark searches, TTB records

Production Details

  • Where was wine actually made?
    • On-site at Vine Hill facilities?
    • Custom crush elsewhere?
    • Combination?
  • Production volumes: Actual case production per year
  • Distribution: Where were wines sold?

Why It Failed

  • Economic factors: 2008 recession impact?
  • Business model: Unsustainable multi-source approach?
  • Planned from start: Was it always intended as temporary?
  • Relationship end: Did Simons terminate arrangement when ready for own production?

Sources

Primary / Near-Primary

  • CellarTracker wine database — Documented vintages and vineyard designations (2006-2009)
  • U.S. Grant Winery — Confirms Simons purchased property in 2004
  • Business records, if accessible (LLC filings, lease agreements)

Oral History

  • Nick Guerrero — Interview needed for complete story
  • Sal Godinez — Interview for winemaking approach and operation details
  • Nat Simons & Laura Baxter-Simons — Perspective on Gatos Locos relationship
  • Ken Burnap — Transition details from SCMV to multiple successors

Secondary

  • NEXT_STEP_4 research document — Analysis of property ownership vs. winery operation distinction
  • Appellation America — Sal Godinez interview (2000s)
  • Wine industry publications covering 2004-2010 period

Web / Reference

  • CellarTracker: wine listings and community notes
  • TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau): label approvals, brand registrations
  • Santa Cruz County business records

Confidence Notes

High Confidence

  • 2004: Simons purchased Vine Hill property from Burnap (confirmed by U.S. Grant website)
  • ~2004-2010: Gatos Locos operated during this period (documented by wine releases)
  • Wines produced: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah from multiple sources (confirmed by CellarTracker)
  • Brands: Gatos Locos, Cumbre (confirmed)
  • ~2010: Gatos Locos ceased operations (inferred from lack of later releases)
  • Property continues as U.S. Grant (confirmed)

Medium Confidence

  • Gatos Locos as tenant/transitional operator (logical reconstruction from dual ownership claims; needs confirmation)
  • Relationship between Guerrero and Simons (unclear; could be lease, partnership, or informal arrangement)
  • Why it failed: Economic/structural challenges during transition (logical inference, needs confirmation)
  • Sal Godinez as winemaker (documented in Appellation America)

Low Confidence / Needs Verification

  • Exact legal relationship to property — Lease? Partnership? Not documented
  • Nick Guerrero background and current status — Unknown
  • Sal Godinez current whereabouts — Unknown
  • Brand disposition — Unknown whether sold, dormant, or abandoned
  • Production volumes — Not documented
  • Where wine was made — On-site vs. custom crush unclear
  • Planned duration — Was it always intended as transitional, or did it fail unexpectedly?

See Also: