Sausal Winery

With all the national and international conglomerates gobbling up small, independent wineries like so many breakfast sausages, it’s pleasant to stand at the tasting bar, sipping super-wonderful Zinfandels – the wine they are most famous for – with the Demostene clan. Though not anywhere near as well known as those other family wineries, Gallo and Mondavi, the Demostenes can trace their vine roots back farther than either of those big boys.


Furthermore, like the inter-dynasty marriages of European royalty, the young Demostenes are the descendants of two major pioneering families in Alexander Valley (Sonoma County, CA). Manuele Demostene, a native of Genoa, Italy, and Abele Ferrari, from Savigliano arrived in this fertile valley just after the turn of the century. Ferrari made his name manufacturing winemaking equipment, and, eventually, buying a winery. Demostene worked, hands-on, in the vineyards and as a winemaker.

In 1936 Rose Ferrari married Leo Demostene, and David, the winemaker; Ed, the viticulturist; Cindy, the office manager, and Peachie, tasting room director, are their children. Together, Rose and her youngsters built the 14,000-case winery and sent their first wine – 800 cases of 1974 vintage Old Vines Zinfandel – to market in 1978. Last year, to honor their parents, particularly their father, who died before realizing his dream of building his own winery, the quartet released the 1996 Sogno della Famiglia (Family Dream), a blend of 80% Zinfandel – the vines date back to 1877, 15% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. This rich, smooth red is available only from the winery, which is called Sausal Winery (named for the willow-lined creek which flows through it. Willow, in Spanish, is Sausal), at 7370 Highway 128, Healdsburg, CA 95448.