All in the Sebastianis (Fifth of five parts)
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| California Landmark 739 "Vineyard and Winery", also known as "San Francisco Solano Mission Vineyard". at 394 4th Street East at Spain Street, Sonoma. The plaque reads: "Samuele Sebastiani Vineyard and Winery. Here in 1825 the Franciscan Fathers of San Francisco Solano de Sonoma Mission planted the first vineyard in Sonoma Valley. The grapes were used for making sacramental wines. After secularization of the mission in 1835, General Mariano G. Vallejo, Commandant of Alta California's northern frontier, produced prize-winning wines from these grapes. Samuele Sebastiani and his wife Elvira purchased this property in the early 1900's. A young immigrant from Italy, he had come here to make his fortune. Since that time, he and his family have successfully continued with distinction the traditions handed down to them through the years. Much of the original mission vineyard is still planted to choice wine grapes." California Registered Historical Landmark No. 739. The plaque was placed by the California State Park Commission in cooperation with the Sonoma Valley Historical Society, September 24, 1960. |
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Sebastiani, one of the best-known names in winemaking, has been on the California scene for a century.
But in the past 20 years, the family business split three ways into separate wineries, none of which are much like like the winery most people remember.
It's a Falcon Crest family drama for sure and also tells the tale of California wine's maturation as played out by one large Italian family in Sonoma.
Here's a rough guide to the players and the chronology.
- SAMUELE SEBASTIANI arrives in Sonoma from northern Italy in 1897, grows grapes and makes wine at the turn of the century. At that time, most winemakers shipped in bulk to the East Coast, where it was bottled. He's the first winemaker to decide it's worth bottling his wine and selling it himself.
- After Prohibition, his son AUGUST expands the business and dominates Sonoma County and the jug wine business.
- In the 1970s, August's older son, SAM, tours the United States touting the glories of Sonoma and is prepared to take over the winery when his father dies.
- In 1985, there is still one Sebastiani winery, but the two sons, DON and brother SAM, quarrel. SAM is kicked out, and mom SYLVIA and DON hold on to the winery. The fragmentation begins.
- SAM starts Viansa, a winery and marketplace specializing in rare Italian grapes grown in California. Most wines are $25 and up a bottle and available only by mail order. This year, Sam turned Viansa over to his seven children.
- DON splits from mom and with his sons starts his own labels, including Smoking Loon and Pepperwood Grove, now one of the 30 largest wineries in the country.
- Back at the ranch, SYLVIA, with the help of daughter MARY ANN SEBASTIANI CUNEO and grandson MARC CUNEO, has radically refocused Sebastiani away from quantity production and stopped jug wine production 10 years ago.
In 1999, Sebastiani produced 8-million cases. The next year, it cut back to 180,000 cases, concentrating on classic Cabernet, Zinfandel and Chardonnay from Sonoma
Originally Published on  . ©2004 Chris Sherman, who writes about food and wine for the St. Petersburg Times, is the author of "The Buzz on Wine" Lebhar-Friedman Books, $16.95. He can be reached at (727) 893-8585 or sherman@sptimes.com |
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