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Leading the Way
Don Hartford has led the
way for the Hartford Family Winery to become one of the most
well-regarded Pinot Noir producers in America.
Meet Our Winemaker
Jeff Mangahas is a perfect fit with Hartford’s philosophy of "high risk–high reward" winemaking.
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Hartford Family Winery People
Don Hartford, President, Hartford Family Winery
Don Hartford grew up on a small strawberry farm in
western Massachusetts, and later attended the University
of Massachusetts at Amherst. To cover the cost of
tuition and expenses, Don worked as a "straw boss" on a
cigar wrapper tobacco farm, a degreaser in a bicycle
factory, and a lifeguard at Congamond Lakes in
Massachusetts.
After earning a B.A., Don spent a year teaching
English-as-a-second-language in Spain and later taught
Spanish for four years in Massachusetts. Don Hartford
met his wife, Jennifer Jackson-Hartford, at Santa Clara
University in Northern California in 1979. (Shortly
thereafter, Jennifer's father, Jess, started a modest
16,000 case winery called Kendall-Jackson.) In 1982, he
graduated from Santa Clara Law School. Don's legal
career included a Tokyo law firm, a large San
Francisco-based firm, Jess Jackson's practice of
Constitutional law, and work at the California Supreme
Court. He also was a partner in a small country law
partnership, and served for a time as a winery general
counsel and vice president.
Over the last twenty years, Don has been immersed in
winemaking and winery management. In the process, Don
has returned to one of his first loves-the land and
farming. In addition, he owns and farms a small vineyard
behind his home. As President and part owner of Hartford
Family Wines (with Jennifer and sister, Laura
Jackson-Giron), Don works "hands on" at all levels of
the business, including work in the vineyards, winery,
marketing, hospitality and sales.
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