When a man has spent more than 60 years guiding grapes to their ultimate triumph as fine wine (usually red!) there is no way he is going to sit back and watch the seasons roll by without having a hand in the winemaking process. So, it comes as no surprise that John Parducci, with partners Jim Lawson and Bill Carl, is now the owner of the former Zellerbach Winery, just south of Ukiah in Mendocino County.
While John owns no vineyards, and says he never will, with his new custom crush operation, some of the finest grapes grown in Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Napa and Mendocino County from 24 of the most respected growers, find their way to the tidy little winery on McNab Lane. “It’s quite a vote of confidence,” says John, “that all these growers are bringing their grapes here.” Winery activities rest in the capable hands of John and his teammates: Rick Parducci, his grandson; Jess Tidwell, winemaker, and Marty McAvoy, cellarmaster, with a few extra bodies during peak periods.
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Even though Edward and Debbie Wallo had traveled and lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for several years, they had never visited Mendocino County until one day in 1988 when they went wine tasting in Yorkville (Population 25). When the heard that the property was being put up for sale the young couple took a giant step and became the new proprietors of the 110-acre piece of land that included 10 acres of organically farmed vineyard. Additional plantings since then have brought the vineyard acreage to a bit over 30.