In the summer of 1994, Stephen Ross Dooley started his label Stephen Ross at a custom crush winery in Santa Maria. By the next year he moved to Talley Vineyards to make his wines and in 1998 moved to Courtside Cellars in the Edna Valley – a large custom crush winery that Dooley designed and helped establish. 

In 2001 he developed an estate vineyard planted exclusively to Pinot Noir in partnership with Talley Vineyards called Stone Corral Vineyard; it is located in the Edna Valley, a designated American Viticultural Area (AVA).

Home to several well-known vineyards, the Edna Valley exemplifies the characteristic microclimate and geologic features, which are the hallmark of the south central coast; an east-west valley, which mitigates its temperate climate with cooling, ocean-borne breezes. This provides a long growing season ideal for the development of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Petite Sirah grapes.

More recently, in 2005 he invested in new winemaking equipment and moved back to Santa Maria where he leased a winery building to make his wine directly under his control.

For winemaker Stephen Ross Dooley, making Stephen Ross wines is an act of passion. 

A friendly and engaging man, Steve is a firm believer in a hands-on approach in order to maintain the highest quality possible. At the same time he believes in the winemaking axiom of the late Andre Tchelistcheff; wine makes itself and the winemaker is simply the caretaker. 

Given Dooley's penchant for and love of gardening, he also believes in the French proverb that the wine is made in the vineyard. Consequently, Dooley is currently producing wines from grapes grown at prestigious vineyards such as Bien Nacido Vineyard, Oliver’s Vineyard, Dante Dusi Vineyard, Aubaine Vineyards, Wolff Vineyard and Thomann Station in addition to the estate Stone Corral Vineyard.

Stephen Ross wines reflect the passion of winemaker Stephen Dooley.