Our Story
An homage to beauty’s strange ways.
At Union Sacré Winery, we believe in the beauty of putting things aside—ego, expectations, differences—and coming together to make something meaningful.
This isn’t a one-man show. Or even a two-man show. It’s the result of friends showing up with sleeves rolled, ready to help, to hustle, and to laugh along the way. It’s a winery built not on perfection, but intention—a shared belief that wine should bring joy, spark connection, and remind us not to take things too seriously.
We’re here for the wines we love, the people we admire, and the strange, beautiful ways it all came together.
1996: Xavier's first harvest
1999: Goodbye Rhône Valley. Hello California.
2003: Unexpected Friendship
Xavier meets co-founder Phillip Muzzy. Antics ensue.
2013: Lunch-Break Dreaming
At Sans Liege, Xavier and Phillip daydream between rows of barrels about making dry Riesling.
2014: First Vintage
Xavier makes wine for Philip’s wedding. It inspires embarrassing dance moves.
2018: Xavier Builds a Cellar in Tin City
2019: Tasting Room Opens
2020: Tasting Room Closes
2022: Largest Harvest Yet
2023: Red Concrete Tanks Arrive
2024: Ten Years Already?
Time flies when you’re making great wine.
2026: Xavier’s 30th Harvest
Meet the Winemaker
Xavier Arnaudin
Owner, Co-Founder, and Winemaker
For Xavier Arnaudin, winemaking has always been about people. Born and raised in France, he started his career not in the cellar, but in the kitchen, studying to be a chef. But after his sommelier training revealed wine’s power to elevate a meal and form connections across the table, he was all in. A job with Joe Davis at Arcadian Wines brought him to California, and he later took an assistant winemaking job at Sans Liege.
He soon discovered that there was a place for the artistry of Old World wines amidst the rugged beauty of the Central Coast. So, unconcerned with industry trends, he made it his mission to channel Alsace’s elegant style and warm hospitality in every wine he makes.