About Us

Dennis Ing .

Dennis Ing Founder and CEO

Dennis began his career as an engineer after graduating from the University of Illinois in 1972. After obtaining his MBA from DePaul University, he pursued a career in finance and general management. Having grown up in the suburbs of Chicago, Dennis had access to many great restaurants and ethnic cultures. He soon developed an appreciation for gourmet foods, which drove him to look for great wines to accompany these foods. Eventually, his career took him to the Silicon Valley of California, providing him with opportunity to taste the great wines of California.

Ing Estates

Searching extensively in the Napa, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties of California, Dennis decided that the town of Lockwood, in the San Antonio Valley region of Southern Monterey County, was the ideal location. He found the rocky, calcareous soil known to enrich the bold Reds his goals require. He keeps three chalky rocks from the vineyard sitting on his dining room table.

“These are the same rocks that I saw strewn throughout the Rhone countryside,” he said. “I knew I had found the right soil for my wines right here in Lockwood.”

Bold Reds

Dennis feels life is short and too grand to waste effort on soft wines. He wants a wine that wakes up one’s senses, delivers a punch, and at the same time is smooth and silky. He like white wines, but the warm climate of the San Antonio Valley is better suited for the Rhone-style wines. The Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc thrive better in the cooler region north of Ing Estates, in Northern Monterey County.

John Box

John Box Partner and COO

John grew up in the fertile San Joaquin Valley and was involved in all aspects of farming during his youth. Later on as an adult he was an investor in a family owned farming operation that involved the growing, packing, and selling of cantaloupes. He began his professional career in accounting and finance after graduating from Santa Clara University in 1973. His career led him to extensive travels in Europe and Australia, where he had the opportunity to sample some of the great wines of the world. His love for fine wines coupled with his background in agriculture made for a perfect fit as he joined Dennis as a partner in Ing Estates.