In 1987, after 14 years of working in the industry on several aspects of winemaking, Robb Cootes began to develop Leland Estate. His belief that the next major improvement in wine quality would come from better quality grapes, not chemical or microbiological manipulation of wine, seems to have been more than justified.

Robb Cootes and Lee McHugh are building a clientele of fine food restaurants and private customers for their premium wines.