Lee Martinelli still farms the historic Jackass Hill vineyard planted on a 60-degree slope near Forestville in 1889 by his grandfather, Italian immigrant Giuseppe Martinell. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Proud legacy of Italian winegrowers in Sonoma County

PEG MELNIK
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

With a staggering 60% slant, Jackass Hill is the steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma County and the most harrowing to harvest. Yet every year, Lee Martinelli teeters on his tractor trying to defy gravity on this daunting slope.

Before him, his father, Leno Martinelli, farmed it for 75 years, up until he was 87. And the original daredevil, Giuseppe Martinelli, farmed Jackass Hill with horses for more than 30 years, after planting its vineyard in 1889.

“My grandfather and my father farmed it for so long, so I’m going to keep farming it,” said Martinelli, owner of Martinelli Winery in Windsor. “These vines are just part of the family now. I can’t abandon them.”

He is 83 now, and his persistence in harvesting this precipitous hillside is emblematic of the heritage that defines many vintners of Italian descent in Sonoma County — the A. Rafanellis, the Rochiolis, the Sangiacomos and the Pedroncellis among them.

The wineries they run all were started by Italian immigrants who came to Sonoma County roughly 100 years ago, and all were inherited by successive generations. While today many wineries are being snapped up by corporations, these vintners have no intention of selling. On the contrary, they’re preparing to pass the baton to their descendants.

That continued family ownership, perhaps more than the varietals these wineries produce, sets them apart in Wine Country. Several of these wineries began by growing zinfandel grapes and still maintain zinfandel as their flagship varietal. Yet others have adapted to what grows best in their areas, such as chardonnay and pinot noir in cooler regions locally.

Roughly 100 years ago, many Italians immigrated here from Italy, drawn by word-of-mouth descriptions that painted Sonoma County as a place that looked like their Italian villages and had an ideal climate for farming, with plenty of hinterland to purchase.

Several planted zinfandel, genetically identical to the Italian red grape primitivo. Some were grape growers in Italy. For others, growing grapes was a new career.

Their ingenuity and hard work saw them through the turbulence of World War I, Prohibition, the Great Depression and World War II. They watched the market with a keen eye, reinventing themselves when necessary and eventually transitioning from farming fruit or hops to wine grapes.

The Martinellis

With its backdrop of Jackass Hill, Martinelli’s story is the most dramatic version of the Italian immigrant winemakers tale. Local regulations today limit slopes to a 30% grade. This vineyard, with its 60% slope, is grandfathered in because it dates back to 1889.

Martinelli said the hill’s name dates back to the 1970s when Helen, his father’s late second wife, once groused, “Only a jackass would farm that hill.”

Lee Martinelli still farms the historic “Jackass Hill” vineyard planted on a 60-degree slope near Forestville in 1889 by his grandfather Italian immigrant Giuseppe Martinell. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Lee Martinelli still farms the historic “Jackass Hill” vineyard planted on a 60-degree slope near Forestville in 1889 by his grandfather Italian immigrant Giuseppe Martinell. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Undaunted by the steep hill, Giuseppe saw Tuscany in it and planted 3½ acres of zinfandel vines, ones that are still producing these grapes more than 100 years later.

“I went back to Italy and saw the village where Giuseppe grew up,” Martinelli said. “It was very steep and very wooded. There wasn’t a lot of production land. I think property here in America was much more available.”

Giuseppe, Martinelli said, would be pleased that his farming operation has remained in the family, though it has changed over time. Martinelli began converting a hop kiln building — used to dry hops for beer — into a winery in 1985. Today the winery produces 13,000 cases of wine yearly.

“I imagine my grandfather would be very happy to see the land he worked so hard to buy and farm all those years is being taken care of and we’ve been good stewards of it,” Martinelli said.

On a recent day, not far from Jackass Hill, Martinelli stopped his Jeep on a steep dirt path overlooking hillsides ribbed in vineyards.

“Like an eagle seeing everything beneath its perch, here I can see Giuseppe’s dream,” the vintner said of his grandfather, who immigrated to America in 1885. “I can sense his excitement to taste the first berry from his first crop of zinfandel.”

The A. Rafanellis

Shelly Rafanelli pointed to a picture of her great-grandmother, Letizia Rafanelli, on the wall.

“She was 5 feet tall, and everyone in our family is vertically challenged,” the winemaker said with a laugh. “I’m 5’3,” so I’ve got 3 inches on her.”

Shelly Rafanelli, 4th generation winemaker and managing partner of A. Rafanelli Winery, still uses the old redwood tanks in the winery bought by her grandfather Americo in the early 1950’s. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Shelly Rafanelli, 4th generation winemaker and managing partner of A. Rafanelli Winery, still uses the old redwood tanks in the winery bought by her grandfather Americo in the early 1950’s. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Letizia may have been a petite woman, Rafanelli said, but she had moxie.

In Sonoma County, many Italian winemaking families began by growing and bottling zinfandel, genetically identical to the Italian red grape primitivo. While popular in Italy, and now America, the grape originated in Croatia.

Today, here’s what the five Italian families are growing and bottling:

The Martinellis produce about 13,000 cases of wine yearly and consider zinfandel the family’s heritage grape because it was their original focus. But today, the family grows and bottles more pinot noir than zinfandel. Other varietals include chardonnay, syrah and Muscat Alexandria.

The A. Rafanellis’ flagship is zinfandel and they produce 7,000 cases of it yearly. The winery’s lineup also includes cabernet sauvignon, merlot and red blends.

The Rochiolis target 12,000 cases a year, primarily chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc.

The Sangiacomos farm pinot noir, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon grapes. In 2016, the family created its namesake brand while continuing to supply grapes to more than 80 wineries. The Sangiacomo label, which primarily bottles pinot noir and chardonnay, produces more than 2,000 cases a year.

The Pedroncellis produce roughly 50,000 cases a year and have a broad range of varieties. They include sangiovese, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, merlot, cabernet franc, petite sirah, syrah, petit verdot and malbec. Zinfandel is their focus, with cabernet sauvignon a close second.

After coming to Ellis Island in the early 1900s, Letizia took a train to San Francisco. There she met her soon-to-be husband, Alberto Rafanelli, a contractor and fellow immigrant, in North Beach. In short order, she convinced Alberto to move to Sonoma County so they could grow grapes and bottle wine.

“She was 18 when she came to America,” Rafanelli said. “To leave family at such a young age and make a new life, I can’t even imagine it.”

Stepping in the winery cave, Rafanelli pulled out some old winemaking tools, including an old hand wine pump. She also pointed out Letizia’s old wash basin, used to conceal wine during Prohibition.

A bust of Americo Rafanelli along with other memorabilia in the caves at A. Rafanelli Winery in the Dry Creek Valley. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat) (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
A bust of Americo Rafanelli along with other memorabilia in the caves at A. Rafanelli Winery in the Dry Creek Valley. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat) (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

“If you want to pass a winery on to the next generation, you have to ride out the tough times,” she said. “Prohibition was probably the toughest. My great-grandmother just kept planting vines. In her mind, she knew when it ended, she’d be a step ahead.”

Today, zinfandel is the winery’s flagship, 7,000 cases are produced annually. Other varietals include cabernet sauvignon, merlot and red blends.

Walking through the property, Rafanelli shared her favorite spot. It’s a secluded pond near olive trees and a patch of lavender plants.

“We owe it to Letizia for choosing this area,” she said. “This is such a beautiful way to live and such a beautiful area.”

Barrels of A. Rafanelli are still branded with the same logo used when Alberto Rafanelli was selling all his wines by the barrel. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Barrels of A. Rafanelli are still branded with the same logo used when Alberto Rafanelli was selling all his wines by the barrel. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

With her 13-year-old son Caden in mind, Rafanelli said, “I have a renewed motivation to leave the winery in good shape so the opportunity is there if he wants it. Everything we do, we’re setting it up to carry on.”

The Rochiolis

“There’s no royalty in my family,” Tom Rochioli said with a grin. “My grandfather (Joe Rochioli Sr.) was a fieldworker who worked his way up to acquiring property.”

In the early 1900s, Joe Sr. came to America from Fornovolasco, an Italian village north of Lucca. He managed the Healdsburg property, now known as Rochioli Winery, for nearly two decades before purchasing 120 acres in 1952.

Born in 1934 at the height of Depression, Joe Rochioli Jr., far right, spoke Italian at home, so he understood little English when he began school at six years old. By eight, he was picking prunes and by 12 he was lifting 60-pound sacks of hops, which his home ranch was initially known for growing. (Courtesy photo)
Born in 1934 at the height of Depression, Joe Rochioli Jr., far right, spoke Italian at home, so he understood little English when he began school at six years old. By eight, he was picking prunes and by 12 he was lifting 60-pound sacks of hops, which his home ranch was initially known for growing. (Courtesy photo)

Growing grapes, primarily pinot noir and chardonnay, were the focus. But in 1983 Rochioli, then just 25, convinced his father (Joe Jr.) to bottle the grapes, as well as sell them.

“I told my father, your name is already famous on other people’s brands so we should have our own brand,” Rochioli said. “By the school of hard knocks, I learned how to make wine.”

Today the winery targets 12,000 cases a year, primarily chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc.

“Hard work was instilled in me as a child,” Rochioli said. “I watched my father, who not only grew grapes but was his own mechanic. He’d build bins for picking and tanks for hauling grapes on the back of a truck. Hard work for my family has been a badge of courage. ... Italians don’t know anything but hard work.”

The Sangiacomos

From the window of a train, Vittorio Sangiacomo got a glimpse of the Sonoma Mountain range from Boyes Hot Springs. He was up from the city for a weekend to enjoy the mineral baths. Smitten with the beauty of Sonoma Valley, Vittorio said it reminded him of Italy, according to family lore.

An immigrant, Vittorio had come to America in 1913 from Genoa, Italy. After working in the scavenger industry in San Francisco, he moved to Sonoma.

Today, the Sangiacomo brothers, Steve, 47, and Mike, 53, point to framed, handwritten deed, signed in 1927. It reveals Vittorio purchased 55 acres for $33,457. The property is now known as the Home Ranch.

From left, Steve Sangiacomo; Roberto Alvarez, winner of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation 2021 Vineyard Employee of the Year; and Mike Sangiacomo in a Sangiacomo vineyard on Broadway on Friday, May 13, 2022. (Robbi Pengelly/Index-Tribune)
From left, Steve Sangiacomo; Roberto Alvarez, winner of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation 2021 Vineyard Employee of the Year; and Mike Sangiacomo in a Sangiacomo vineyard on Broadway on Friday, May 13, 2022. (Robbi Pengelly/Index-Tribune)

Starting with apples, pears, prunes and cherries, Vittorio began to focus on pears and grew the business to the largest pear-growing operation in California.

“By 1969, our family saw the pear market was softening and the decision was made to shift our agricultural focus from pear trees to wine grapes,” Steve said.

Today the Sangiacomos have 1,600 acres planted to cool-climate grapes — pinot noir and chardonnay. In 2016, the family created its namesake brand, producing more than 2,000 cases yearly, while continuing to supply grapes to more than 80 wineries.

Mia Sangiacomo Pucci, 50, has joined her siblings Steve and Mike in the business as third-generation partners.

“Strong unconditional support from each other is the only way family business succeeds,” she said.

Steve said Vittorio would be pleased his generation has made good on his vision.

“My grandfather would be proud we’re continuing to farm and that the land is still in agriculture,” Steve said. “He would likely advise us to keep a level mind the best you can because farming will challenge you in ways you didn’t see coming.”

A family business helps mitigate the fluctuations of farming, Steve explained.

“We’re all in it together, through thick and thin, and there are a lot of highs and lows,” he said. “There’s the element of we’re stronger together.”

The Pedroncellis

The steam would rise from the risotto her grandmother made, while the children were told to wait. It was the lingering, savory aromas of saffron and white wine that’s one of Julie St. John’s fondest memories of her childhood.

Now 63, St. John is a third-generation vintner in Geyserville’s Pedroncelli Winery, which now spans four generations.

Julie Pedroncelli St. John sits on a stone bench built by her great-uncle Baptista Pedroncelli, at left in the photograph along with her grandfather Giovanni who established Pedroncelli in 1927 when they bought 90 acres near Geyserville (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Julie Pedroncelli St. John sits on a stone bench built by her great-uncle Baptista Pedroncelli, at left in the photograph along with her grandfather Giovanni who established Pedroncelli in 1927 when they bought 90 acres near Geyserville (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Her Italian grandparents — Giovanni and Giulia — met and married after he served for the U.S. in WWI. He was from Madesimo, Italy, near the Swiss border, and she was from Sondrio, at the base of the Swiss Alps, but they met in Redding. The couple ventured to Sonoma County in the midst of Prohibition, eager to connect with other Italians in the region.

“My grandparents believed Prohibition wouldn’t last, so they were happy to find a property in Geyserville with a house, 25 acres planted to zinfandel and a shuttered winery,” St. John said.

With a veteran’s loan to help them, they purchased the property July 22, 1927. They kept growing grapes because home winemaking was legal at the time and it wasn’t long before the repeal of Prohibition came in 1933, setting these entrepreneurs off and running.

The 25 acres they originally purchased, over time, became a spread of 200 acres, with 115 planted to vines. Zinfandel continues to be the winery’s flagship.

Today, St. John is the chair of the board and the president of the corporation J. Pedroncelli Winery, and she has an ample supply of rich memories of growing up at the winery.

“I remember picking the end-of-harvest, second crop of zinfandel and filling up a small wheelbarrow, proudly bringing it to weigh at the scale,” St. John said.

The vintner recalled the family cellars weren’t just used for aging wine. They were always filled with canned jams, peaches and pears. And the gardens were brimming with fruit trees, vegetables and herbs.

“It was the Depression era and households had to make ends meet,” St. John explained.

One of her most endearing memories was watching her grandmother prepare lunch for her children, who doubled as her business partners. Growing up in an Italian family, St. John said she learned early that the kitchen table was the board room, the hub of activity, where business decisions were often made over a feast of homemade pasta and zinfandel. She recalls food — simmering, brewing, steaming, braising — was always at the heart of it.

“When I think of my grandparents, I realize how proud they were of their achievements,” St. John said. “They purchased land and a home. They began as Italian immigrants and achieved the American dream.”

Wine writer Peg Melnik can be reached at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5310.

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