Our Story
Kevin Jussila went from interested in wine to a winemaker in 1991 when he and two friends bought a half-ton of Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. The three friends continued to make wine for their own and friends’ consumption until a 1995 trip to Provence inspired Kevin to move to the next level.
During the family vacation, Kevin met the owners of Beaucastel and learned of their project in Paso Robles - Tablas Creek. The following spring he saw Paso for the first time when he picked up vines to plant 1 ½ acres adjacent to their Topanga home. Through the next several years of grape growing, winemaking, and a shift to commercial production with the 1999 vintage, he didn’t forget about Paso.
Late in 2004, the stars finally aligned when Kevin and Paula Jussila sold their Topanga home, bought the Chimney Rock property they had been eyeing for the past year and a half, and the whole family moved north. Kukkula was born. What drew them to the Westside of Paso was not only the scenic beauty of this part of California, but the heavy clay and limestone soils, their passion for blended Rhone wines, and ultimately the belief that Paso Robles is rapidly becoming recognized as the area to pursue making blended Rhones.
When purchased, the property had about 75 acres of mature walnut trees and just over an acre of Cabernet. Today, some of the walnut acreage has been replaced by 19 acres of vines, and 8 acres of mostly French varietal olives. Grape varietals planted are Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise, and Zinfandel, and Cabernet. The vines are all being dry farmed, and everything is farmed organically with the goal to be fully certified by 2011. Starting in 2009, the majority of their grapes were estate grown.
In September of 2010, kukkula completed construction on their winery and tasting room. The modern structure is partially dug into the hillside and incorporates innovative materials, such as rust colored insulated panels, and gabion rock cages. Their goal was to create a building that is not only aesthetically beautiful, but also energy efficient. Come enjoy our artisinal blends and enjoy the marriage of the architecture to the vineyard and the Adelaida countryside.