OUR STORY

LIOCO was conceived in the alley behind Spago Beverly Hills by wine director Kevin O’Connor and wine salesman Matt Licklider. The two colleagues, critical of the heavy-handed wines of the day, wondered if it were possible to make some local wines that favored nuance over sheer power. In 2005, relying on nothing more than their palates and their rolodexes, the two embarked on a winemaking odyssey. Europe was the inspiration, as were the more restrained California wines of the 1980’s.

Today the winery is owned and operated by the Licklider family. Husband/wife duo Matt and Sara Licklider and their small team produce the wines at a state-of-the-art winemaking cooperative in Santa Rosa.

All of the fruit is sourced from exceptional vineyards spanning 400-miles and five counties (Sonoma, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Yolo).

The focus is on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Carignan from sites with older vines, interesting soil, and heritage clones. Sometimes the hunt for Pinot Noir uncovers other treasures like a coastal Syrah vineyard or a rare, mid-century planting of Valdiguie. Room is made for such discoveries.

Welcome to our journey!

Matt & Sara

Matt Licklider

Founder, CEO

Sara Licklider (aka SKL)

General Manager, Proprietor

Drew Huffine

Drew Huffine

Winemaker

Maegan Lavelle

Maegan Lavelle

Director of Hospitality/DTC

Andrew Pellegrino

Andrew Pellegrino

Tasting Room Associate

Mike O'Neel

Mike O'Neel

Tasting Room Associate

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