Sonoma County has a rich history with Italian immigrants in the local wine industry. Just look at many of the winery names like Fappiano, Martinelli, Pedroncelli, Rochioli, and Seghesio. You can find the Italian spirit at tasting rooms throughout the county, some pretty genuine, some a bit less authentic, but these are great places for Barbera, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and maybe some obscure Italian varietals.
This family does have the Italian background. The tasting room is plain and homey and looks like it could be in Tuscany. The vines are old and the wines a bit rustic.
Think of Italians making big bucks in the Reno hotel/casino biz then wanting a showcase winery that reminds them a bit of the old country. Their wines are quite nice, and really aren't even that Italian, but it's the grounds and buildings that you want to see. The winery is now owned by Bill Foley, a billionaire owner of many wineries.
Opened by the owners of Cline Cellars right across the road. Yes, the family made their money from Jacuzzi Spas. They've got Italian varietal wines, they've got olive oil, since they're the Cline family they keep prices reasonable. The buildings are nice inside and out; never mind that it's stone facade.
These folks are new and I'm not familiar with them. Most of what they make are estate-grown Italian wines, many you've probably never heard of. Fiano, Negro Amaro, Sagrantino, and other plus some you know like Barbera and Cabernet. They currently show 17 wines on their website plus their estate olive oil.
Update June 2022: Visited for the first time and loved the wines. The reds are low on tannins and low on alcohol.
This would be about as real Italian as it gets -- or used to be -- as they are owned by Foley, too (see Farrari-Carano above). The building is real, the smell is real, the wines are a real Italian interpretation of California wines. They ain't fancy, they are Indicazione geografica tipica (IGT) loosely translated to typical table wines from Sonoma County.
Family owned, making Italian varietals and some Rhones, leaning towards an Old World style. You'll find wines like Vermentino and Aglicanico. Vermen who? Actually, it a pretty darn good white wine. Also, some pretty nice Barbera and Zinfandel.
First and second generation Italians, the Belmonte family, own and operate the winery after running a very successful restaurant in downtown Santa Rosa. Lots of different varietal wines sold here, many are a bit rare in this country, such as Sagrantino, Montepulciano, and Dolcetto. The building, though only a decade old, looks like it came straight out of a small town in Tuscany. They have a pizza oven, a deli, and a pasta shop.
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