Kaj and Else Ahlmann grew up in Denmark, where Kaj started his professional life in international reinsurance. Else used her chemical skills as she worked for a consulting company that assisted breweries all over the world. The couple has four children, Christian, Michael, Marianne and Annette.
In 1993, Kaj was appointed CEO of Employers Reinsurance Corporation, a division of General Electric, and the family relocated to Kansas.
When in 2000 they purchased the 4,300 acre ranch in Lake County, California, Kaj decided to name it Six Sigma Ranch after the management process he had successfully implemented during his professional career.
At Six Sigma Ranch, Kaj applies his energy to doing things the "right" way to make a world-class wine. It began with the selection of land that would sustain vineyards at 1400-1700 feet altitude, providing the perfect terroir for excellent wines. On the ranch, the site for each vineyard is chosen with care - matching specific soils to specific varieties. The vineyards are farmed using sustainable practices - yielding grapes of pristine quality while preserving the land for generations to come.
As he is learning the trade of grapegrowing and winemaking, Kaj makes sure to surround himself with a team of people who are experts, each in his or her field.
Matt Hughes, Winemaker
In April of 2009, Matt Hughes joined Six Sigma Ranch as winemaker. Matt began his enological adventure when he arrived in Lake County ten years earlier. A position at a local winery led him to Kendall-Jackson, and after several years of learning the technical aspects of winemaking, he then joined the team at Vérité Winery in Sonoma County. There he worked under Bordelaise winemaker Pierre Sellan, crafting critically acclaimed, classically styled wines.
With Matt's background and personality, it was easy for him to embrace the Six Sigma philosophy of listening to customers and producing consistently great wines.
Matt lives in Kelseyville with his wife Nancy and their two dogs, Ellie May and Murphy.
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Kansas office for Six Sigma Ranch, Vineyards and Winery
