A New Life

Andrew and Laurel Quady never intended to start a winery. It just sort of happened. Andrew began his career making explosives for military countermeasures, but after a major explosion shut down the plant where he was working, the Quadys decided to leave Southern California and start a new life in winemaking. After Andrew earned his master’s degree in viticulture and enology from U.C. Davis and Laurel earned her accounting degree from CSU Sacramento, the Quadys relocated to Madera, California, where they purchased a home that had been bonded as a winery. Andrew was working for another winery at the time and making Zinfandel Port on nights and weekends. 1600 cases started the Quadys off on sweet feet in 1975.