Livermore Valley wine country was plunged into mourning this week in the wake of the death of Mitchell Katz, whose eponymous winery sits at the heart of this renowned region of vineyards.
Katz, the 59-year-old owner of Mitchell Katz Winery, died Friday afternoon after a two-car crash just a mile and a half from his winery.
“We have suffered a tragic loss,” Katz’s sons, Jackson and Wes, wrote on the winery’s social media page Sunday thanking supporters for their condolences. “His family and extended family are all devastated.”
Brandi Lombardi, executive director of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association, described his death as a loss for the entire community.
“Mitch has been here for a long time. He has been a great contributor to the community,” she said. “He’ll be really missed. Hopefully, the winery stays open, and they can continue to carry on the legacy he has created.”
Katz donated generously to the organization’s annual wine auction, Lombardi said, and had been making excellent wine over the years.
Gina Molinaro-Cardera, president of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association and proprietor of the Garré Vineyard and Winery and Del Valle Winery, said she’s known Katz since he started his winery and that her heart went out to his family, friends, staff and winery members. “It’s so hard to lose a member of our tight-knit community,” she said.
Katz started the winery in 1998 in part as a memorial to his grandfather, an avid home winemaker. The winery is known for its cabernet sauvignon — especially its flagship Fatboy Cabernet — as well as sangiovese and chardonnay varietals. Katz had earned several notable awards over the years, including a gold medal at the 2015 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for his 2011 Petite Sirah and silver medals for his Wesley’s Blend and 2011 Sangiovese.
Katz was independent, strong and hard-working, said Rhonda Wood, co-owner of Livermore’s Wood Family Vineyards. She and Katz weren’t just colleagues. They had been friends for more than 20 years and greeted each other daily when he passed by while walking his dog.
He had a “very big heart,” she said. “If you ever needed anything, you could give him a call.”
Just five months ago, they were in Tahoe sharing a bottle of chardonnay, Wood recalled. They talked about how proud they were of the hard work that allowed them to finally reach their dreams. He talked about his sons, too, who meant everything to him.
“He was larger than life,” Wood said. “We were just finally getting to that point where we could enjoy life and sit down and chat about the last 20 years. Everything was going great — and then something like this happened.”
The crash unfolded just minutes from the winery at about 3:20 p.m. Friday at East Avenue near Mitra Street. When Katz changed lanes, his car was hit by a black Subaru, police said. Katz was transported to the hospital, where he later died. The other driver remained at the scene, and an investigation continues.
News of Katz’s death was met with an outpouring of shock and sorrow online, with nearly 200 comments from colleagues, current and former tasting room staff and wine lovers alike responding to his sons’ social media post.
“With heavy hearts, the Livermore Valley Wine Community mourns the loss of one of our own this past weekend,” the winegrowers association said on Twitter. “Mitchell Katz was a cherished and integral member of the Livermore Valley Wine region since he founded his winery in 1998. He leaves behind a lasting legacy and permanent impression on our wine community.”
The winery tasting room, normally open daily at 2915 S. Vasco Road in Livermore, closed its doors over the weekend but was expected to open at noon on Tuesday.
