Lindquist quits Qupé

Bob Lindquist is to leave California estate Qupé on 1 March and begin a new winemaking venture it has been announced.

The news broke last week that Lindquist and his wife would be setting up a new company called Lindquist Family Wines.

Qupé, the winery he founded in 1982, was bought towards the end of last year by a group called Vintage Wine Estates, who bought it from a group called Terroir Life that was previously owned by Charles Banks, the disgraced and now jailed former owner of Screaming Eagle.

At the time it was said that Lindquist would stay on at the winery in a “consulting role” but the arrangement has clearly run its course.

The Qupé wines will be produced at another winery in the Central Coast area owned by VWE.

This means that Lindquist will remain in the winery he has shared for the past 30 years with Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat.

In addition, his wife, Louisa Sawyer Lindquist’s, wine ‘Verdad’ will continue to be produced by the couple and the new range of wines will feature Rhône varieties and Chardonnay just as Qupé did.