Beloved California Winemaker, Peter Figge, 46, Found Dead At His Vineyard

Joanna Fantozzi|

Peter Figge — the popular owner of Figge Cellars, and producer of some of the most famous pinot noir in Monterey Valley, California — has died at the age of 46. The young winemaker was found dead at his Marina vineyard on Monday, much to the shock of friends, family, and oenophiles. His death is currently being investigated by police.

"Peter was beloved by all who knew him and will be deeply missed," an announcement from the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association said. "We are heartbroken by this news. And hold his family in our thoughts and prayers."

Figge Cellars produces 2,400 cases of pinot noir and chardonnay every year, and Figge sold his own brand, Swing, at the Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel-by-the-Sea, where he had gained substantial footing as a major player in the wine world, according to Edible Monterey Bay. He had just opened up a tasting room in Carmel Valley earlier this year, where he had previously praised the "serious" nature of the wine-browsing crowd there.

"This one hurts a lot," local winemaker David Coventry of Talbott Vineyards told Edible Monterey Bay. "He was one of the best among us, in so many ways."

Plan a visit to Figge Cellars in tribute, along with the 25 Best Wineries in California.

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