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Jacuzzi Family Vineyards & Winery, Sonoma Valley, California, USA

The Jacuzzi Family Vineyards & Winery owns and farms grapes at its estate in Sonoma-Carneros and the Sonoma Coast appellation, specifically the Petaluma Gap.

Carneros stretches across the cool southern extremities of both Sonoma and Napa counties while it touches the historic flatlands north of San Pablo Bay. Jacuzzi Family Vineyards sits on 190 acres at Arnold Drive in Sonoma-Carneros.

Pacific fog and coastal wind are what sets this appellation apart. In the scorching afternoons, bay winds glide over the vineyards, mitigating the blistering California heat. The vines are planted in volcanic soil and adobe clay. This area is best known for producing outstanding Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It’s also been a great growing region for our Barbera and Sangiovese.

History: The Jacuzzi trek to America started in 1907, when Valeriano and Francesco Jacuzzi, the second- and third-born sons of Giovanni and Teresa Jacuzzi, immigrated to Washington to work on the railroad. A warmer climate beckoned and the pair eventually made their way to southern California. Years later, they were joined by four other brothers and eventually all went to work in the aviation industry. Soon they would make American history.

In 1911 their father, Giovanni, a skilled wood worker and vineyard farmer joined them. Two weeks was enough to convince him that his sons would never go back. He then returned to Italy with Valeriano to gather up the rest of the family.

World War I intervened and the trip was delayed until the war’s end. During this time, Valeriano had met Giuseppina and fell in love, married and had their first child. Valeriano's new family, parents and remaining siblings departed from Italy in 1920.

Soon after their arrival in early 1921, Valeriano started working with his brothers at their Jacuzzi Brothers factory. A tragic crash, over Modesto, of Jacuzzi’s first enclosed monoplane took several lives, including that of Valeriano’s brother, Giocondo. At this time, Giovanni asked his sons to cease making planes. Valeriano moved his family to Northern California and purchased a 161-acre farm in Contra Costa County.

During the depression, Valeriano, with help from his older children, planted a portion of the open farm fields with grapes and in 1936 he applied for a license to make wine for home consumption. At that time he was limited to 200 gallons (approximately 84 cases). The vineyard was planted to Zinfandel, Carignane and Mourvedre and he sold grapes for $30-$35 a ton.