California's Napa and Sonoma counties are simply beautiful. Surrounded by mountain ridges, blessed with a climate that normally does not include snow, and about 70 miles away from the cosmopolitan influence of the San Francisco Bay Area, it's a fine place to live. Phillips & Harris - Land Brokers are based here. But if you want to buy a house in Napa County or Sonoma County, don't call them. While this company can find you a country estate, Phillips & Harris specializes in vineyards, wineries, and unimproved properties that may be suitable for vineyard development.

Jean Phillips and Ren Harris are experts in their field. Both can tell you more about microclimates, root stock, soils, and wine production than you probably care to know. They have been selling country properties in their area since 1979, and they both live what they sell.

Ren Harris and his wife, Marilyn, started Paradigm Winery from scratch. They developed their vineyards and built the winery. As wineries go, Paradigm is small. It produces a limited number of varietal table wines that have enjoyed significant critical acclaim and consumer loyalty. You may have trouble finding Paradigm on the shelves. Most of it gets sold before it hits the shelves. If your wine merchant can find any Paradigm, it's worth the extra effort.

Jean Phillips began her career in the winery business cautiously. Her production is very small, but Jean's Screaming Eagle label enjoys a following that can only be described as cult. Jean doesn't have any marketing expenses. Her production simply cannot meet the demand. Her waiting list got so long that she stopped taking names. If you're determined to find this label, it's going to take someone really knowledgeable about wine markets to locate it for you.

So Phillips & Harris know their product. They belong to the MLS system and advertise in newspapers and magazines around the world. They also keep current with the competition in the now-global wine industry. After a trip to wine-producing regions of Australia, Ren remarked, "Those Aussies are going to be dangerous."

The interests of Ren and Jean may be worldwide, but they both remain deeply involved in the area they service. Jean serves as a director of the Oakville Growers Association and is on the board of a local bank. Ren conceived, organized, and served as the first president of the Napa Valley Grape Growers' Association. He is also past president of the Napa County Farm Bureau.

Jean and Ren have marketed more than 50 wineries and thousands of acres of vineyards. Referrals have always been the mainstay of their business. Today, referrals account for more than 85 percent of their sales. And they're present before, during, and after a sale. They believe that service and advice are their most important product. Some wine country buyers are taken with the romance of wine. They become discouraged to learn that grape-growing and winemaking are, in fact, a business. So they sell. Other buyers are investors. They see their profit or decide there is none, and they sell. Their loyalty is a measure of the services Phillips & Harris provide. They have sold many properties three or four times.