Claudio Ponte
Managing Partner
As seen above with his daughter Juliet, Claudio has a love of elegant wines and a passion for local community and sustainability. He is proud to curate the Hawks View Winery experience following the founding family's vision. A graduate of UCLA business school, Claudio has served on the boards of Winegrowers of California, California Association of Wine Grape Growers, the Wine Institute and the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association. He values authenticity from vineyard to glass and creating a welcoming, inviting guest experience. When asked about his favorite wine, he’s been heard to say “wines are like our children – we love them all equally, but not always at the same time.”
Don Crank III
Winemaker
In his own words, Don is a “scientist by training and a passionate winemaker.” After graduating from Purdue University with a degree in Biochemistry and Food Science, he discovered his love of wine – specifically, Oregon’s phenomenal Pinot Noir. With more than 20 years of experience in the winemaking world, Don considers winemaking to be an art, each wine a culmination & an expression of the place in which it was grown.
Juliet Ponte
Winery Supervisor
Juliet started “working” in the wine industry when she was a mere 8 years old, greeting guests as they walked through the door at Ponte Winery. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in Communication and Business and took on the position of Tasting Room Supervisor at one of our sister wineries, BOTTAIA Winery. A natural businesswoman with a strong aptitude for management, Juliet has moved into an operations role as the Winery Supervisor at Hawks View. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new breweries and restaurants in Portland, playing golf, and skiing Mt. Bachelor when she can get away.
