Our Team
Sally Johnson Blum
Founder / Winemaker
Veteran winemaker Sally Johnson Blum has been crafting fine wine in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Washington State, the CA Central Coast, and beyond since 1999.
With a dual Bachelors degree in French Literature and Biology from the University of Michigan, a Masters degree in Enology from UC Davis and over 25 years’ experience in farming and winemaking, Sally brings a thoughtful, site-specific and elegant touch to the wines she produces in collaboration with her clients.
Prior to launching her consulting firm, Sally spent fifteen years as winemaker at Pride Mountain Vineyards, eight years at St Francis Winery, and worked with St Hallett Winery in South Australia and Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville. Among Sally’s many accolades are two 100-point scores from Robert Parker, three wines on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines in the World list, over 30 wines served at White House State Dinners, and being named one of Glamour Magazine’s Top 10 Badass Female Winemakers.
Sally is deeply engaged with farmers, vintners, and the local communities where she operates, collaborating with the Napa Valley Vintners and Oakville Winegrowers’ Associations, as well as other social wellfare organizations in the Bay Area at large.
Max Blum
Creative Director
Max has specialized in design, branding and marketing in the wine sphere and beyond for over 30 years, first with his ad agency Folio Creative Services, and then as partner and CEO at ICON Design and Display, which was acquired by Golden West Packaging in 2015.
Over the course of Max’s design career, he worked with a wide range of clients on retail marketing programs for some of the world’s biggest beverage companies, including Robert Mondavi Winery, Chateau St Jean, Rosemont, Penfolds, Ruffino, Apothic Red, Franciscan Wine Estates, and others. Max also worked with companies outside of the wine sphere including Dr Dre’s Beats, Zukes, Camelbak, Monster Cable, Clif Family, Jelly Belly, Pepsi Co and more.
His design career began in the 1980’s during his time as lead guitarist for the Bay Area thrash metal band Potential Threat, when he began to design marketing materials for brands in the scene. Transitioning to full-time design and production in the mid-1990’s, Max managed Larry Brilliant’s Brilliant Color Cards company and then helped to launch Avalon Organics, a natural cosmetics company, designing fragrances and packaging for the brand.
Always pursuing his creative passions, Max currently balances his design projects for SJB Winemaking with his other projects, which include a thriving antiques and Victorian photography retail business, a YouTube channel (Monograph Media) featuring his original musical compositions for television and sync, and family time with kids and pets.