Karen McKenzie was raised in Monticello, the mythical city that now sits under forty feet of water at the bottom of Lake Berryessa.  She met Bob while studying art at San Jose State University, and together they cultivated their love of the Napa Valley, wine, art, and kids.  After raising their five wonderful children, Karen returned to school for her teaching credential.  She is now a hard-working high school art and ceramics teacher.

Bob Mueller was raised in Rutherford, just north of Napa, where his family farmed grapes.  After graduating from UC Davis, Bob went to work for the Robert Mondavi Winery.  He began his career working in the cellar, and eventually became the Director of Enology at Mondavi.  In 1979 he and Karen bought their first vineyard on Big Ranch Road, and in 1989 they founded McKenzie-Mueller Vineyards and Winery.

Julius Mueller was raised in Carneros on the McKenzie Mueller vineyards. Out numbered by his four sisters, he spent a lot of time playing in the fields and is very familiar with the land. As a kid, he mostly had smaller jobs in the winery and vineyard. After spending four years in the navy, on the USS Kitty Hawk, Julius decided to move back to Napa and work for the winery full time. Learning from his dad, he jokes that Bob has forgotten more about wine than he will ever learn. Spend any time with Julius and he will happily acquaint you with the wines and the vineyard.