Richard Kunde

RICHARD KUNDE, member of a pioneer Sonoma Valley ranching family, became an influential leader in American viticulture while playing a pivotal role in propelling Sonoma County to the world wine stage. He died January 18, 2018 in Santa Rosa at age 75.

A true original, Richard will be dearly missed by his family and many friends who cherished his generosity, kindness, brilliant mind and sense of fun. He loved to entertain and his hospitality was legendary.

A resident of Windsor, Richard had been in failing health for several years but his amazing spirit and love of Sonoma County kept him going. Family and friends marveled at his continuing zest for life in the wake of his illnesses and the loss in 2014 of his beloved wife Saralee McClelland Kunde.

He was born Richard Morris Kunde on September 6, 1942, the youngest of five children of Arthur “Big Boy” and Catherine “Honey” Kunde, who owned an historic ranch along Sonoma Highway between Kenwood and Glen Ellen. The ranch, settled in 1904 by Richard’s, German immigrant grandfather Louis Kunde, was known for its cabernet sauvignon grapes and prized Hereford cattle. Richard grew up attuned to the rhythm of the farming seasons and developed an abiding love for land and family. He was the last of his generation, preceded in death by brothers, Lou, Bob and Fred and his sister Theodora “Sis” Kunde.

Blessed with a scientist’s analytical mind and the heart of a Sunday school teacher, Richard advocated on behalf of Sonoma County agriculture as a community leader, businessman, grape grower and benefactor. Together Richard and Saralee were a powerful team who championed farms, fairs and ag youth, raising millions of dollars to elevate agriculture and cultivate the next generation of farmers and community leaders. Their incredible legacy was honored when the community came together after Saralee’s death to build the $3 million Saralee and Richard’s Barn at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.  The “barn” is actually an agriculture education center where future farmers will gain skills and urban kids will learn what it takes to grow their food. Richard and Saralee have provided a $1 million endowment to the Sonoma County Fair Foundation for agriculture education programs.

In 1988 Richard and Saralee purchased land in Windsor and turned silage fields to premium vineyards. They transformed a poison-oak infested stand of oaks into an unparalleled event space and called it Richard’s Grove and Saralee’s Vineyard. An historic hop barn built in 1900 became their family home. They offered their beautifully-landscaped property as the site for countless fund-raising events – all with the goal of promoting agriculture and the community they loved.

For decades Richard owned and operated Sonoma Grapevines. It was in 1982 that he took over a bankrupt Santa Rosa nursery and built it into the largest grapevine nursery in the United States. The nursery grew from nothing to annually producing up to 14 million vines during the grape planting boom. Many of the vines Richard produced carpeted the vineyard expansion in Sonoma County and throughout California during the last quarter of the 20th Century.

Richard received many honors over the years for his leadership and philanthropy.  But perhaps he was most proud when in 2008 he received the Award of Distinction from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis. He was honored for his outstanding lifetime achievements as an alumnus of the university where he earned degrees in viticulture and horticulture.  During his half-century in the wine industry, Richard collaborated with the university’s leading viticulturists, pathologists, entomologists and other scientists to improve the quality and profitability of California wine grapes.

Richard was the first to promote the European concept of “appellations of origin” for vineyards, believing it was an essential move to protect the quality and value of Sonoma County grapes. But Richard preferred the term “American Viticultural Areas” to identify these unique growing regions because he thought the word “appellation” was confusing.

In 1999 The Press Democrat named Richard Kunde among the 100 most influential Sonoma County people of the 20th Century, The newspaper recognized his role in transforming Sonoma County to California’s premier wine and food region. Richard was in the company of such visionaries as Luther Burbank and Jack London for his legacy in re-shaping Sonoma County’s landscape during a century of phenomenal change.

Richard is survived by his son Matthew Kunde, daughter Catherine “Catie” Kunde, and granddaughter, Rose Kunde, all of Windsor; nieces and nephews, Jeff Kunde, Keith Kunde, Marcia Kunde Mickelson, Ardy Dexter, Heidi Dexter, Kurt Kunde, Bill Kunde, Louis Kunde Jr., Kathryn Toscano, Lynden Kunde, Gregory Kunde, Christopher Kunde, Carrie Kunde Lords; brother-in-law and sister-in-law George and Dora McClelland of Petaluma; brother-in-law Allan Wade of Santa Rosa; godsons, Ryan Kunde of Forestville, and Will Tesconi of Denver, Colo., and longtime friends Jim Pratt of Santa Rosa and Tim Tesconi of Healdsburg.  Richard also leaves his beloved Yellow Labradors, Bud and Hoss, who were at his side in sickness and in health. Thank you to caregivers Bentley, Vini and Ateca.

Private family burial services were held January 21st. A public celebration of Richard Kunde’s remarkable life will begin at 1 p.m. February 24th in Saralee and Richard’s Barn at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Sonoma County Fair Foundation/ Saralee and Richard’s Barn, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, Calif. 95404 or the Youth Ag & Leadership Foundation of Sonoma County, P.O. Box 1283, Rohnert Park, Calif. 94927.

Saralee and Richard's Barn