As they battled sagging trellises, overgrown weeds and eroded soil in the 16-year-old vineyard, they "learned about poison oak," chuckles Rob, who also learned about the conspiracy of nature: "The birds ate our first harvest."

Anxious to fulfill the bargain with his friends, Jensen found a Monterey winery that was trying to promote the area and bought a 1994 chardonnay from them. "Twenty-nine out of 30 of our friends bought," he reflects. "That $100-a-case started us."

The Jensens are now the proprietors of Testarossa Vineyards in Los Gatos, "Testarossa" being Italian for "redhead," a nickname Jensen gained when he studied in Italy during college. It was in college, too, that he met Diana, a fellow student in electrical engineering.

The winery is located in the east Los Gatos hills in what began in the 19th century as a Jesuit winemaking facility—now shared with Mirassou Winery. The vineyard the Jensens and their friends restored today is used for sharecropping.

"After four years, we decided we could get higher quality by going to the pros," he says. His title changed from grower to vintner—the person who selects the vineyards and hires the winemakers whose expertise produces the wines that ultimately carry his label.

"Picking the right vineyard requires a lot of business knowledge," explains Jensen, 40. He adds that his 20 years of experience with Silicon Valley start-ups, during which he oversaw the running of fledgling businesses, is a suitable background for someone in the wine business. He looks for key growers who share his "obsession and passion" for quality: "We don't want to be one of the best. We want to be the best."

Testarossa wines come from 11 vineyards in the Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara areas. The wineries come to him because he pays first. "We understand it is important to be the first to pay to get the pick of the vineyards," he notes. Since the downturn in the economy, Testarossa's reputation for paying upfront has attracted major growers. "During these tough times, we get first crack," he says.

The result is the reputation Testarossa has gained for superior wines. With only about 10,000 cases of pinot noir and chardonnay produced each year, the vineyard has distribution in 30 of the United States, and plans for international distribution are in the works. The pinot noirs run from $32 to $68 a bottle; the chardonnays run $26­$44. Local restaurants offering the wines are Manresa, Kuleto's, Cafe Marcella, Steamer's, California Cafe, Los Gatos Brewing Company and Cafe Primavera.

Awards for excellence abound. Probably a crowning tribute was the selection of Testarossa wines by Chef Justin Perez of Buca Restaurant in Campbell to accompany every course he will be serving with wine at the James Beard Dinner on Jan. 31 in New York City. Perez is the second chef to choose only Testarossa wines for the James Beard dinner—a rare occurrence, according to Jensen.

"James Beard awards are like the Oscars of the food business," he says. "When nominated, a chef is invited to cook at the James Beard house." Beard was a food educator who left his home to the foundation. It was converted to a restaurant that draws top chefs from around the world who showcase their talents during a wine-pairing dinner. Besides the Jensens, 16 Los Gatos members of the Professional Wine Society of Santa Clara Valley will travel to New York for the event.

Testarossa Vineyards is located at 300-A College Ave. in Los Gatos. For more information, call 408.354.6150 or visit www.testarossa.com.