Wine With A Touch Of Family At Sciandri Family Vineyards
When Rebecca Sciandri’s parents Ron and Roberta began thinking about retiring, there was only one place they had in mind – Napa Valley – so in 1992, they moved to Coombsville – and years later, after thoughtful searching, Sciandri Family Vineyards was born.
“They had fallen in love with the beauty and the sense of place,” said Rebecca, the only full-time employee at her family’s vineyard. “They looked for over five years, all over the valley, until they came upon the 20 acre parcel in Coombsville. The land, the lake, open space of skyline and the opportunity to enjoy the plethora of wildlife, made them feel at home and it reminded them of the Tuscan hills of Italy.
Rebecca’s brothers Ron Jr. and Ryan, along with her now teenage sons, all help run the family business – which has made Sciandri Family Vineyards a third generation affair. Once Ron and Roberta moved to Coombsville, they decided to plant five acres of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1999; with the first several years spent growing and selling their fruit to other winemakers for their productions. It wasn’t until their 2006 harvest that they launched their own brand.
Their wines are available for purchase on- line or at prearranged tastings at their wine- making facility, and the family produces approximately 500 to 800 cases annually. Rebecca says that her father Ron always tells others, “we are so small, that Mondavi spills more during filtration than we make!” The family, through a labor of love and dedication, has grown their portfolio from their first vintage, a 2006 Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, to offer four additional wines: Coombsville Cuvee, a Rose, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a special four-barrel production of a wine called Nello. “It is named in honor of my grandfather, whose strong commitment to family and his love for growing and cultivating food and friend- ship left its mark upon everyone who knew him,” said Rebecca.
“Our customers love that we offer wines that are full-bodied, layered and complex with flavor, but I think their favorite part is the soft, supple tannins noted as – ‘old world style’ that is indicative of the Coombsville AVA.”
Steeped in a rich foundation that they are only stewards of the land and that if they take care of Mother Nature, she will in turn, take care of them, Rebecca said they are farmers at heart and their business philosophy is based not on the bottom line, but on family first. “This business is meant to be an extension of our family, showcasing a very healthy respect for Mother Nature and tradition,” she said. “Everything we do is based on our old-world values – importance of family, respect for the land and pride in our products. The other driving value for us is Quality, Quality, Quality! We only want to share with our customers a wine that we are proud to carry our family name and put on our family table.”
Every vintage they offer is a true vintage variation, where they let their vines tell their story, therefore each vintage has it’s own story to tell. Rebecca said, “All of our wines are handcrafted using sustainable practices, including 100-percent hand-farmed. Our winemaking philosophy is ‘Let the fruit show the way.’”
SCIANDRI FAMILY VINEYARDS
