John Munch

“a twirling & Elliptical Dancing around the flames of life is to be encouraged & commended & reflects the innate order of the cosmos where it is repeatedly demonstrated that the natural flow of all bodies is Elliptical; only unnatural things (such as automobile tires & Cuisinart food processors) move in a circular motion.” John G. Munch

John George Munch died peacefully in his home, surrounded by family and close friends, on July 3, 2024, a few months shy of his 80th birthday. He was one of the founding winemakers in Paso Robles and played a huge part in making Paso Robles the globally recognized wine region it is today.

John was born in Costa Rica in September 1944 and idled away his youth in various disreputable banana ports along the Caribbean coast of Central America. In the 1960s he traveled to France, where he met and fell in love with Andree Guyon. After several years spent traveling throughout the Americas and Europe, John and Andree moved to California's Central Coast in 1978. They had been married for 26 years when Andree died suddenly in 1998.

In the late 1970’s, John became a winemaker by accident while helping friends from France produce Tonio Conti sparkling wines at the old Estrella Winery. Never one to shy away from a challenge, he taught himself how to make great wines and gained notoriety as the founder of Adelaida Cellars and Le Cuvier Winery, with his first award-winning wines in 1981. He left Adelaida in 1999 and was joined by his partner Mary Fox in 2001 at Le Cuvier. Together they built a hugely successful following and a beautiful winery and home. John was a consulting winemaker and mentor to countless others in the decades that followed. He believed in the old ways of dry farming grapes and making wine with the magic of the wild beasties (yeast) that had made their home in his wineries. In 2018, John was recognized for his decades of creativity and his passionate approach to winemaking as SLO County Winemaker of the Year (voted upon by all wine trade boards in the county, PRWCA, SLO Coast, Vineyard Team, IGGPRA and all past winners), and awarded annually at the California Mid-State Fair. He retired in 2021.

John was a true artist in every sense. In addition to creating distinctly unique wines, he was an incredible chef. Every small detail mattered in his kitchen, including the warmth of the plates when food was served, the magnificence of a perfect cappuccino, and anything cooked in his sous vide. He was the leader of the band Sound of Gleet and lived for Wednesday afternoon jam sessions, when they played his original Afro-Caribbean songs. He was a lover of art and architecture and worked for a time as a contractor, restoring Victorian homes. He designed and helped build the home and winemaking facility for Le Cuvier. John was also a lifelong student of literature. In retirement he picked up the author's pen; his novel The Great Roach Race was published in 2017.

John is survived by his sister Suzanne Munch and her husband Jamshid Anvar, his partner Mary Fox, nieces Adrienne Hagan and Angelina Hagan, his nephew Kevin Kelleher, and close family friends Oscar and Janet Herrera, Maureen and Lloyd Herrera, and their children Max and Pearl Herrera and Lili Hess.

From the The Great Roach Race by John G. Munch

“So how does it all begin? Well, like most things in this world, it begins with a nasty mess of stewed pazole, and with the howls and protests at the starting gate.

And how does it all end? Well, with another nasty mess of pazole, of course, and with kicking and screaming, and always with that pack of dogs howling into the wind.

Thus, The End begins at The Beginning, and I hope to shout, let me tell you! Yes, yes, I hope to shout…

Finito!

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in John’s name to the Clean Air Task Force at https://www.catf.us/