The 16-Petal Lotus Black Belt
Chris Hamell
Just for the record, Chris Hamell is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Masters World Champion. He is also the vineyard manager at Bien Nacido and Solomon Hills in the Santa Maria Valley. Chris is Central Coast native who grew up in the quiet little village of Arroyo Grande. After earning his degree in Agribusiness from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, he worked at Cambria and David Bruce wineries before joining the Miller family’s operations in the Santa Maria Valley. A big supporter of SIP Certified, Chris is adept at sustainable, organic and Biodynamic farming methods. He and his wife Dayna live at the Bien Nacido Estate with their four children: Garrison, Weston, Payton, and Owen. Chris is a Wine and Spirits Magazine Grower of Year, foodie and guitarist for the soon-to-be-famous Tepusquet Tornados.
“I’m an aggie and a redneck who likes to dabble in the spiritual. Half of me wants to be in the dirt. The other half wants to learn alchemy so I can explore the 16-petal lotus.”