Biography

John Grochau considers himself a native Oregonian; despite being born in the Bay Area, his family moved to Beaverton shortly after where he spent the rest of his adolescence. Taking up professional cycling in his teens, John moved throughout Europe in his racing days. After testing the waters of cycling as a profession, John’s passions transitioned to the fine wine and dining industry. John then began volunteering and working part time at restaurants and wineries in California. Not long after, he moved back to Oregon to start a family while he worked at Erath Winery and Brickhouse Vineyards. Determined to follow the winemaking path, John started his own label in 2002, GC Wines. While it was initially an early start to his label, John’s mentality has always been to dive into an explorative journey and learn by doing. Now, John’s label is well-established, and building strong partnerships with winegrowers who follow his values of sustainability, open-mindedness, and authentic passion.