Bargetto Winery, the oldest continuous operating winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, has been awarded this annual honor by the Farm Bureau Board of Directors. It is the first time a wine-grape grower and a family have been selected.

Bargetto family invests in Regan Vineyard

The Board members maintain that this local family exemplifies multi-generational farming families who survive by seeking out new locations, crops and marketing techniques to maintain their business. The Regan Estate Vineyards is a fifty-acre site in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Corralitos, established in 1992. This is where the Bargettos tend the northern Italian varietals of Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and Refosco, varieties never before grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Bargetto President Martin Bargetto says that this has not been done in any California vineyard, or in Italy, for that matter.

A Bargetto press release describes the Regan site as containing thin, rocky soil, chosen with the goal of restraining the natural vigor of the varieties yielding wines with deep color and depth of flavor, producing large, majestic clusters. The acclaimed LA VITA wine comes from the section of the vineyard designated for these Italian varietals.

Bargetto Winery known for community service

Bargetto Winery is an ongoing supporter of Santa Cruz County non-profit agencies. At a recent release party held for the 2006 LA VITA, it was announced that this year’s recipient from sales of the wine is CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). Past charities have included Santa Cruz Ballet Theater, Jacob's Heart and Hospice among others.

Jess Brown, Executive Director, Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau says, “The award goes to a person/s  who is involved in production agriculture and does much for the community. This year the Bargetto family is celebrating its one hundredth year of wine production, a feat unto itself. We are very proud to have the Bargetto family and its business as part of Santa Cruz County.”

By June Smith