Michael McClendon is the co-founder of Sages Vintage, a ‘custom crush’ winery and consultancy in Nacogdoches. In addition to producing world class wines at Sage’s Vintage he has been named as a ‘Young Turk of Texas Wine’ by Dr. Russ Kane; featured in the Dallas Morning News; and on the cover of Wine and Spirits Magazine as part of their national collective of ‘Rising Black Voices’ in the wine industry.

At Sage’s Vintage, Michael has produced over 80 labels for nearly 30 winery and brand owners. These wines have medaled in competitions across the US including San Diego Critics Challenge, American Wine Society, and San Francisco Chronicle. Michael graduated from The University of Texas at Tyler with a B.S. in Biology. His career has taken him all over the world, from Chile to New Zealand, but East Texas still has a special place in his heart.

He has worked with several local organizations such as the Heritage Land Bank Northern advisory committee, Discovery Science Place board of directors, and the former Tyler Bolts Rugby Club. Michael loves spending time with his wife, Senetra, and their ten-year-old son, an avid baseball player.