The Vintners Club was founded in 1971 by a group of visionaries for the purpose of advancing wine education. It is a California nonprofit public-benefit corporation that has been granted tax-exempt status as an educational organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. A seven-member Board of Directors manages the activities of the Club.

Jerry Draper, Reed Foster and Paul Rehs were the first three presidents of the Club. In 2003, the Board of Directors elected Rick Waterman as the Club's fourth president. Rick is a pharmaceutical scientist and viticulturist whose love for farming goes back to his days as an award-winning Sonoma County vintner. Lalita Waterman has served as the Vice-President & Treasurer since 2001. Among other things, she is a biological scientist, classical dancer, concert pianist, and devoted mother. The Secretary of the corporation is Jack Mills, an oral surgeon, who joined the board in 2002. In January 2010, Norris Boothe (an attorney and former internet executive) was elected to the board. He now serves as the Assistant Secretary. In May 2014, Steven Sacks, an attorney, was appointed to complete the term of Dr. Roger Smith. In January 2015, John Tracy, a solid state physicist and entrepreneur, joined the all-volunteer team. Most recently, Dr. Catharine Van Ingen, a cum laude engineer and Visiting Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, was appointed to the board.