Trentadue Winery in Alexander Valley Sonoma County

When you ask Leo Trentadue (Trentadue Winery, Geyserville, CA) how he happens to be a successful winery owner, he gives all the credit to his father, Joseph Trentadue. A native of Bari, Italy, Joseph arrived in the United States when he was 16. Two years later he enlisted in the army, but before he could be sent overseas, Armistice was declared, and he decided to go back to Italy. At the railway station, where he and his friends were waiting for the train to carry them to the docks, he saw a poster with pictures of orange groves and the magic word, “California.” He decided he might as well go look it over. He could always go back to Italy – but he never did.

During the Depression, he worked in San Francisco as a stone mason, until the plant closed. Out of work, but still imbued with a love of farming, he took his small family to Santa Clara County and purchased 21 acres of apricots and cherries. That’s where Leo grew up and learned to love the land. After service in World War II, Leo completed his education and became a proficient gemologist. He bought his own jewelry store, in an excellent location, and his career blossomed. But Leo hated being confined indoors, so he returned to the family ranch.

Leo and his wife, Evelyn, loved the orchards and vineyards of Santa Clara County, but as the housing developments marched up the highway, they made plans to escape, and in 1959 moved to Sonoma County. Evelyn had relatives famed for their powerful Zinfandels.

Ahead of the wave of winery enthusiasts of the 1970s, Trentadue Winery produced its first vintage in 1969, and opened a tasting room in 1972. Now, Leo and Evelyn’s son, Victor, serves as president and the family through hard work, determination and the willingness to be flexible – all attributes learned from Leo’s wise dad, has built an enduring reputation for distinctive wines of bold flavor and dependable quality.