Our Team
A great group crafting an exceptional wine experience
At Topa Mountain Winery we are passionate about our region’s ability to produce local and environmentally sustainable wine. We believe in a holistic philosophy to winemaking which starts with climate, and emphasize the importance of the vineyard, as well as wine’s relation to the food we love to grow, cook, and eat. We look forward to hosting you soon, and showing you what makes our Ojai Shangri-La so very special!
Larry Guerra, Owner
Owner Larry Guerra built the winery to pursue his passion for viticulture and wine and to showcase exceptional wines made from grapes grown in the Ojai Valley Region.
The first estate vines were planted in 2009, with varietals selected based on the region’s unique climate and soil, after extensive research and analysis. Some of the plantings brought new varietals to the Ojai region, such as Barbera, Tempranillo, Carmenere and Touriga Nacionale. Others have long thrived in the region, including Syrah, Grenache and Viognier.
Larry’s dog, Luke, is a fixture at the Tasting Room – be sure to follow along with Luke’s wine dog adventures on Instagram @topamountainyappyhour!
Larry Guerra can be contacted at larry@topawines.com.
Katie Ota, General Manager
Katie joined the TMW Team in April 2019, but she’s no stranger to the wine industry, nor the Ojai Valley. Katie is Ojai born and raised, and spent the previous decade managing the Direct-to-Consumer program at Bonny Doon Vineyard, in Santa Cruz, California. She has her Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology with a minor in Education from UC Santa Cruz.
Katie is much more of a behind-the-scenes team member – but you will see her in the Tasting Room when she is able to escape her desk. Katie loves organization, systems, computers and data… we know, BORING! But she knows how to have a good time, too. If you ask her anything wine club or e-commerce related, just prepare to have your ear talked off.
Katie lives in Ojai and enjoys cooking, spending time with her dog, Rally, and reconnecting with her old stomping grounds here in the Valley.
Katie Ota can be contacted at katie@topawines.com.
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