Chris Ernest Bilbro

Chris Ernest Bilbro
Chris Ernest Bilbro, winemaker, grape grower, brother, friend, father and grandfather passed away on Sunday January 27th, 2019, at age 72. Born in Cloverdale, CA to Robert and Emilia Bilbro and alongside Kirk and Craig Bilbro. Chris was a standout football running back at Cloverdale High School then Santa Rosa Junior College. After two years at the JC, Chris received a football scholarship to the University of Hawaii where he continued to run the ball up the middle against players bigger than him but not tougher.
Upon graduation, Chris travelled across Europe in a VW bus with a harmonica in his pocket and a smile on his face.
Ever curious and driven, Chris continued his education achieving two master's degrees; one in public health and one in special education and got a job at Sonoma Developmental Center where he designed wheelchairs for the severely handicapped.
By 1975, Chris knew he was on the wrong path and returned home both physically as well as spiritually to his Great Aunt Marietta's teachings of a garden, polenta, herbs, and a strong back. In 1978, with a one-year old son, a healthy dose of ambition, and not a lot of money, Chris founded Marietta Cellars and went on to pioneer an entire category of wine with his signature wine: Old Vine Red.
Over the next 40 years, Chris built Marietta Cellars into an internationally known winery, had three more sons, six grandchildren, and in the midst of it all never stopped hunting mushrooms along the California coast, diving for abalone in the Pacific Ocean, fishing for salmon in Prince William Sound, keeping his freezer full of meat from Montana, and skiing down mountains in the Sierra Nevadas, the Rockies, and the Sangre de Cristos.
Chris never had to decide to get out of bed in the morning, never deliberated about creating a new wine, or paused to think of a nickname for one of his sons.... he just calmly acted, moment to moment throughout his entire life as though steadily propelled.
He was a creative force.
Poems, songs, stories, wines, business ideas, new vineyards all seemed to flow out of him as though they were already tangible things in the world.
He was a dreamer, an artist, and a creator.
Chris bent over backwards to be fair to everyone he knew and did not know how to be anything but honest.
Utterly without arrogance, he approached his business, success, and life with openness, curiosity, and constant gratitude.
He was completely at home in the woods, in the ocean, and the mountains and was so filled with peace that he often seemed part of nature himself: more river rock or driftwood than man. He was as wild and natural as he was kind and good, and his life's ripples will carry far and wide for years to come.
Chris leaves many behind but in particular his grandchildren whom he loved fiercely: Cruz, Kobi, Scout, Booker, Emilia, and Hudson.
Chris's sons Jake, Scot, Sam, and Lucas would like to express their extreme gratitude to the friends, families, winemakers, and grape growers who have all been such a positive addition to Chris's life.
A celebration of life will be held later this year. For information regarding the celebration of life, please visit www.chris-bilbro.squarespace.com, leave your email address and we will update you as details come together.