Mike has always had a great passion for farming and working the land graduating with a B.Sc. Degree in Agricultural Economics in 1986. He immediately immersed himself full time in the family citrus business headquartered in Mission, TX. Among Mike’s first jobs in the business were management of 3,500 acres of citrus groves and maintaining relationships with the absentee owners for which property was being managed. They were the lifeline of cash flow at the time. The business also began growing trees for its own needs, expanding to 80,000 to 100,000 trees per year.

Like most people Mike’s respect for wine grew and matured with time.  His first visit to Napa Valley with his wife Anna for his 40th birthday opened his eyes to complex rich bodied “Cabs” and his interest grew from discovering a passion to creating a legacy.  Today, Mike is taking his knowledge from the citrus business and founding a partnership with Italics to create a winery that defines time and place.