Welcome

Since 1982, the Laetitia Vineyards & Winery has produced elegant wines that champion the exceptional character and diversity of the Arroyo Grande Valley AVA. Originally founded by an established French Champagne house, the Laetitia estate carries on in the longstanding traditions of Burgundy and Champagne with a focus on small-lot pinot noir and sparkling wines. Valuing legacy, balance, innovation, and sustainable practices from harvest to glass, the Laetitia team works meticulously from vintage to vintage to ensure that every bottle of Laetitia wine is as expressive as the coastal land from which it originates.

As the longtime Laetitia winemaker and general manager, I’m thrilled to join the ownership group. Working with me to build upon the winery’s 42-year legacy are two partners with strong connections to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the greater Central Coast community, and California’s wine and ag industries. Ejnar Knudsen, Jeff Nicholson and I – together with our families – look forward to welcoming you to Laetitia.

Many of you already know and appreciate our dedicated Laetitia team members. I’d also like to introduce the new owners, including two partners who I greatly trust and respect. Here’s a bit of background on each of us:

I’m Eric Hickey, and I’ve been part of the Laetitia family since 1988. I first worked harvest and in the cellar beside my father, Dave, who was a Maison Deutz production assistant at the time. I joined the Maison Deutz team at 22 years old, and later gained experience with the vintages of Rhône, Burgundy and Bordeaux through a U.C. Davis extension program in France. I became Laetitia’s head winemaker in 2000. Since then, I’ve worked hard to make elegant estate wines that showcase the character and diversity of the Arroyo Grande Valley AVA. In addition to overseeing production, I’ve expanded Laetitia’s long-standing sustainability programs. We became one of the region’s first SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certified vineyards in 2008, and we remain incredibly committed to resource stewardship and social responsibility.

Ejnar Knudsen is a partner in several agribusiness companies in the San Joaquin Valley. His family has been part of California’s ag community for more than a century. Ejnar first came to the area as a child in the 1970s, when he visited his extended family’s dairy farm in Santa Maria. He later attended Cal Poly and fell in love with Laetitia during a 1988 winery tour. Since then, he’s dreamed about being an owner. The Knudsens recently supported the development of Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture center and program, and Ejnar also serves on the Cal Poly Dean’s Advisory Council for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Jeff Nicholson co-founded two food and agricultural distribution companies and is active as a board member on several food and ag companies in California. He brings extensive operations and logistics experience to his role as a Laetitia partner. The Nicholson family first made San Luis Obispo connections when one of their children attended Cal Poly. Today, that proud alum and the entire family remain tied to the community.

Together, Ejnar, Jeff and I look forward to supporting Laetitia employees, strengthening community ties, and working more closely with students and professors from Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture center. And we’re especially excited to engage with you. Whether you’re a longtime wine club member or a more recent guest, your support and enthusiasm mean everything to our team.

Please join us as we toast to the legacy of Laetitia!

Sincerely,

Eric Hickey

Laetitia Vineyards & Winery Partner, General Manager and Winemaker