A native to Sonoma Valley, Mike Rayner spent his childhood among wineries and vineyards and developed an interest in the industry from an early age.  He worked his first job at Buena Vista Winery, California’s oldest premium winery, during summer break while earning a degree from UC Davis.   Upon completing school, he started his career making sparkling wine at Domaine Chandon in Napa Valley under the direction of Dawnine Dyer in 1994.

Chandon’s strong connection to the Carneros region in Southern Napa and Sonoma Valleys eventually led Mike to focus his attention on Pinot Noir.  He began work as Assistant Winemaker with Francis Mahoney, one of the first growers in the region and the founder of Carneros Creek Winery in 2001.  It is here that Mike developed an acute interest in vineyard clonal selections and terroir as they relate to varying aromas and tastes in a wine.  Along with Francis and Winemaker, Ken Foster, Mike helped establish a variety of single vineyard Pinot Noirs that showcase the potential and great diversity of the Carneros region.

Mike began working at Havens as Assistant Winemaker during the harvest of 2006.  “Working at Havens allows me the opportunity to continue my tradition of working with Carneros vineyards.  The winery is just a little further up valley.”  He brings with him an enthusiasm to be working with vineyards grown by some of the legends of the Carneros region, including Larry Hyde and Lee Hudson, carefully blending components of different vineyards and working with John Killebrew to help create the finest wines possible.  “These vineyards produce some fantastic wines with fruit nuance, firm tannins, and a unique minerality that I don’t think you see in the rest of the Napa Valley.  I hope to keep the Havens’ tradition strong and let the vineyards speak to their fullest potential.”  

In his free time Mike enjoys playing guitar, camping out and playing with his young son Joaquin.