Rachel Bordes

Assistant Winemaker

Rachel Bordes works closely with General Manager and Winemaker, Joe Nielsen, to oversee all aspects of wine production, from the vineyards to the lab, and in the cellar. Rachel first joined Ram’s Gate in 2020 as a Harvest Intern, before quickly rising to Enologist in 2021, and Assistant Winemaker in 2023.

Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Rachel’s family always had the dream of living in California and in 2010 moved to Sausalito, CA. It was during this time that the Bordes family purchased a 27-acre vineyard in the Sonoma Coast AVA, contracting fruit to several esteemed producers in the region. Ultimately, Rachel’s family decided to make wine in their home garage, and it was through this venture that Rachel first fell in love with winemaking. Bordes went on to pursue her B.S. in Wine and Viticulture with a concentration in Enology from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.  After completing a harvest internship at Tolosa Winery in 2019, Rachel went on to complete her senior research project on The Effect of Shade Cloth on the Sensory Attributes of Wine before graduating in 2020. Rachel then joined Ram’s Gate for harvest that year.

As the Assistant Winemaker at Ram’s Gate, Rachel is constantly playing a variety of roles in the winemaking process, from tracking the phenological phases in the vineyard, to stomping fruit in the cellar, tracking, and monitoring wine chemistry, and determining blends for all wines in production.  

When Rachel is not in the cellar, she is likely off soaking up the California sunshine while trail running, biking, or hiking in Sausalito.