Winemaker Notes
As one of the pioneers of California's Wine Industry, the Parducci family has been devoted to handcrafting premium Mendocino County wines for over 70 years. They source only the finest grapes from dedicated growers and strive to enhance what nature has provided and produce wines of distinction. Their dedication to excellence builds on the family's four generations of experience and expertise. "We make wine that gets people to ask for a second glass” -Rich Parducci.
Once known as the McNab Ranch, the property was originally homesteaded in 1868, by Alexander McNab, a Scottish immigrant. The original property consisted of thousands of acres of land, including the McNab Valley where our winery now stands. Nestled at the back of the valley, McNab Ridge is surrounded by some of the finest vineyards in Mendocino County.
Rich Parducci is a fourth-generation winemaker. His great grandfather Adolph Parducci founded Parducci Winery in 1932. He entered the industry at age 12 and has worked in almost every facet of the industry, from bottling, vineyard, laboratory to cellar. A 1992 graduate of California State University Fresno in Enology, Rich brings a cutting-edge approach which compliments his heritage and the previous generation’s traditional winemaking style. An award-winning winemaker, he makes wines in his own unique style and finds a way to honor his grandfather’s history at the same time.
Covering the most vine acreage in the state compared to any other red wine variety, Cabernet Sauvignon produces as much wine in California as Merlot and Pinot Noir combined. The state’s diverse terrain and microclimates, as well as the freedom of its winemakers, allow for an incredible range of wine styles from this single grape.
California’s most famous region—and especially for Cabernet Sauvignon—is the acclaimed Napa Valley. While Cabernet is successful throughout the world, rarely has it achieved such merit as it does from the Napa Valley. At this point the two are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other.
Napa’s closest neighbor, Sonoma County, does an impressive job keeping up with Napa’s fame and glory. Alexander Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Moon Mountain and Knights Valley contribute to the lot of some of California’s top-rated Cabernet Sauvignon.
Lake County in California’s North Coast has become a focus for some of Napa’s more respected growers. From the Central Coast come iconic examples of classic California Cabernet; Lodi and the Sierra Foothills are great budget-friendly sources of amicable Cabernets.