Our Story
Our Story: A New Chapter for De Novo Wines
De Novo Wines, founded in 2006, has always been about new beginnings. Our journey began with a group of passionate wine lovers crafting artisanal wines in Sonoma. Each founding partner brought their family's winemaking heritage to the table, creating a brand focused on old-world techniques, restraint, and minimal intervention.
In 2025, De Novo Wines embarked on its own new beginning. Deepti Illa, one of the original partners, took ownership of the brand, continuing our tradition of producing award-winning, sustainable, and food-friendly wines. As the youngest and first Indian woman to be a partner in an American wine company, Deepti is now leading De Novo Wines into a new era of innovation and diversity in the wine industry.
Deepti's unique perspective and passion for winemaking are shaping the future of De Novo Wines. Her background in Oenology and Economics from UC-Davis, coupled with her certification as a Specialist of Wine, brings a fresh approach to our winemaking process. Under her leadership, we're exploring new varieties, embracing sustainable practices, and creating wines that reflect both our heritage and our vision for the future.
Our Philosophy: Crafting Memories, Embracing Seasons
At De Novo Wines, we believe in the power of wine to mark new beginnings and create lasting memories. Our philosophy is rooted in:
Innovation for Every Season: We craft wines for all seasons of life and nature, challenging traditional norms. Our approach involves blending distinctive varietals to create unique flavor profiles from vine to bottle. We explore new wine regions to bring exciting, undiscovered tastes to our customers, while celebrating the unique terroir and growing conditions of each vineyard throughout the winemaking journey.
A Fresh Perspective: As a woman-led company, we bring a unique vision to winemaking. We focus on creating food-friendly wines that enhance culinary experiences and bring people together. Our approach considers the big picture, from the vineyard to your table, always mindful of how our wines can complement and elevate diverse cuisines and occasions.
Creating Connections: We believe wine is about more than what's in the bottle – it's about the experiences it creates. Through our curated events and immersive experiences, we bring the De Novo brand to life, fostering fun memories and deep connections among wine lovers. Our goal is to create a community where every sip tells a story and every gathering becomes a cherished memory.
At De Novo Wines, we're not just making wine; we're crafting experiences that reflect the changing seasons of life, inviting you to create new memories with every bottle and every event.
Sustainability
Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in our practices:
- We are proud to be Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW) participants.
- For every bottle we sell directly to you, we've committed to planting 5 trees with our partners in Tanzania, furthering our dedication to global environmental stewardship.
- We actively support ocean and forest conservation through financial contributions and volunteer work.
-We embrace a sustainable path towards a new lifestyle on the planet, acknowledging global warming as one of the largest threats to humankind.
Looking Forward
As we continue our journey under Deepti's leadership, we remain committed to the principles that have defined De Novo Wines for nearly two decades. We're excited to continue crafting exceptional wines that honor tradition while embracing innovation. Our focus remains on producing award-winning, sustainable, and food-friendly wines that enhance culinary experiences and bring people together.
Join us as we write the next chapter of De Novo Wines, where tradition meets innovation, and every bottle tells a story of passion, sustainability, and new beginnings.