The owner, Walter, loved to grow everything from kiwi to oriental pears and more. In the 1970's he planted 257 chardonnay vines. Throughout the 1980's, the entire family would harvest the half acre of grapes and would make the wine; filling two barrels, which equaled 50 cases of wine. Initially these wines were hard to drink, but with the help of a friend, Tom Rochioli, the family developed a passion to understand everything about the vineyards and the process of making wine. This passion influenced the quest for growing world-class wines. Since their first commercial vintage in 1996, they have learned with every harvest that you must listen to vine; react to Mother Nature and always compromise quantity for quality.