Winemaker Notes
As a young boy, Ron Donati grew up in South San Francisco, the son of a first generation Italian-American family. His grandfather Albino Donati made his own wine for the family dinner table. Ron has carried that legacy forward with the mission of producing wines of exceptional quality regardless of budget.
Ron and his three sons Matt, Mark and Brad established Donati Family Vineyard in 1998. They acquired vineyards in the small town of Paicines, CA, located on California's Central Coast. The location enjoys long warm days followed by cool nights thanks to the marine influence of the Monterey Bay, creating an ideal environment for growing premium wine grapes. Paicines grapes are sought after by well-known established brands as well as discerning small production wineries alike.
The core of Donati Family Vineyard's award- winning wine portfolio has always been focused on Bordeaux varieties. These include Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as high-quality Meritage-style blends, in addition to our family reserve wines that include Ezio Cabernet and The Immigrant, named after Ron's father and grandfather, respectively. The versatility of the Paicines AVA allows the winery to also produce select amounts of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Syrah, and Grenache. All of the fruit is sourced from our sustainably farmed estate vineyards.
The Donati Family Vineyard winery is located in Templeton, California, in the heart of Paso Robles Wine Country. It was purchased in 2007 and remodeled extensively to create a warm and welcoming tasting room and hospitality center, as well as an outdoor picnic area with Bocce courts.
The warmest part of the greater San Benito AVA, but cooler than the Central Valley, the Paicines appellation excels in the production of concentrated and high-quality, red Bordeaux varietal wines and blends.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.