Full Name
Alysha Stehly
Job Title
Vineyard Manager and College Instructor
Company
Stehly Grove and Mira Costa College
Speaker Bio
Alysha Stehly was born into a family of farmers. Her early years were spent on her grandfather’s citrus and avocado ranch in Valley Center where she spent many a day in the groves with her father and uncles. She learned early the demands of farming were never ending.

Alysha attended University of California, Davis receiving a degree in Viticulture and Enology. After completing an internship at Three Sticks Winery in Sonoma, Alysha returned to Valley Center. In 2008 co founding Vesper Vineyards a winery that focuses exclusively on San Diego County fruit, sourcing grapes from all areas of the county. Focusing on what the vineyard has to offer, each wine is meant to showcase the vineyard and the microclimate it was grown in. For 12 years Alysha was the winemaker for her parents winery, Stehleon Vineyards using 100% San Diego County grapes that she grew with her dad.

Alysha developed the curriculum and has taught the Vineyard Production and Management course at Mira Costa College since 2010 adding other courses to her resume over the years such as Intro to Winemaking, Wines of California, Winery Operations and Management, Integrated Pest Management, Soil Science and Plant Science. Many former students have done on to establish their own vineyards and winery operations in San Diego County. Always eager to expand her knowledge, Alysha has expanded her own knowledge with the completion of her certificate in Wine Business Management from Sonoma State.

Today she mainly teaches and manages vineyards for other wineries. She oversees vineyard management and installation of over 100 acres of San Diego County vineyards for various clients at 11 different sites, with over 32 varieties and 71 blocks. Working to improve quality of grapes, minimize input costs and implement new practices to make vineyards more sustainable (environmentally and economically).

Alysha has served as a District 1 representative on the state board for Young Farmers and Ranchers, and serves as a board member of the San Diego County Farm Bureau. In the past she served as a board member and committee chair for the Berry Good Food Foundation. She sits on the board for the Don Diego Scholarship Foundation, a former scholarship recipient herself. She has been an active member of the San Diego Urban Wineries in the past, the former Escondido Wine Region organization and San Diego Vintners Association.

As if the day jobs and volunteering don’t keep her busy enough. She is proud mom to two boys, Cole (8) and Eli (4).
Alysha Stehly