Visit Gilroy. . . with Mattie Walker: As Gilroy celebrates 150 years, wineries high in the list of places to visit

Discover three local wineries as you and your family learn about Gilroy’s history

By Mattie Walker

What better way to celebrate Gilroy’s 150th anniversary than outlining some of its history-rich wineries founded between 1916 and 1970. Enjoy the history of Gilroy’s finest wines and be sure to visit for a tasting to see what each one is about.

Solis Winery

Solis Winery is one of Santa Clara Valley’s most popular and oldest wineries with a wonderful story. After Alfonso Bertero emigrated from Turin, Italy, in 1917, he found fertile land that was once part of the Rancho de Solis Mexican land grant ,which became Bertero Winery. During Prohibition, Alfonso sold wine for religious purposes and became incredibly wealthy. He built a home to show off his wealth with crushed abalone shells on the exterior walls, so they’d sparkle in the sunlight. This home still stands and can be seen from the road next to the winery.

After retiring at 76, Alfonso passed down the business to his son Angelo. With the help of Angelo’s two sons, Carl and Angelo Jr., Bertero Winery gained popularity. They were established as one of the region’s first dedicated tasting rooms and developed a reputation for strong jug wines. The winery was sold in 1989 to David and Valerie Vanni, who started fresh with new plantings including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sangiovese and Zinfandel, and renamed it Solis Winery. The Vannis’ have a passion for creating extraordinary wine, and in 2007, David’s son’s Michael and Vic took over the family business. Today, Solis Winery produces a wide range of award-winning wines and specializes in rich red blends and Italian varietals such as Barbera, Sangiovese, and Fiano.

Kirigin Cellars

Kirigin Cellars is one of California’s oldest wineries and has been an enduring part of California’s wine country since 1916. Starting from the beginning, Pietro Bonesio was born in Cardona, Italy in 1877, and learned how to make wine from his father, Giovanni. Pietro came to the United States in 1903 with his wife, Massimina, and started making his way west while working construction and farming jobs. In 1916, Pietro went back to what he knew and started Uvas Winery on land called Rancho de Solis in Gilroy. For the next 60 years, Pietro’s winery and 500-acre ranch stayed in his family, and in 1932 Pietro turned over the day-to-day business operations to his three sons, Louis, Charlie and Victor.

The winery was then renamed “Bonesio Brothers,” which produced numerous varietals including Zinfandel, Grignolino, French Colombard, Grenache, Sauvignon Vert and Golden Chasselas.

When the Bonesios retired in 1976, they sold the winery to Nikola Kirigin-Chargin, a winemaker from Croatia with degrees in enology and chemistry. Nikola was known as a distinguished winemaker while working at numerous wineries in and around Almaden. Bonesio Winery reminded Mr. Kirigin of his family’s winery on the island of Brač, so Nikola and his wife purchased the historic Bonesio Winery in 1976 and renamed it, Kirigin Cellars.

Nikola abhorred wine snobbery and believed good wine should always be affordable, therefore Nikola began producing unique, high-quality wines using old European techniques and new American technology. Kirigin Cellars is one of the most delightful morsels of Santa Clara County: 33 acres of rolling vineyards, nine acres of cricket lawns, more than 1,000 rose bushes and 100 redwood sequoias are surrounded by hills and rangeland. Kirigin’s old buildings and wine-tasting areas, as well as their new Tuscan-style Club House building, exude old-world charm. Nikola passed away in May 2011 in his hometown on the island of Brač, and Kirigin Cellars continues to proudly create wine Nikola Kirigin’s way. And its most recent owner, Dhruv Khanna, understands the importance of maintaining that heritage with his wines and continues to produce award-winning varietals.

Fortino Winery

Fortino Winery was established in 1970 when Ernest and Marie Fortino purchased a vineyard that had been growing since the early 1930s. Ernest was drawn to the vineyard because the land was reminiscent of his hometown, Calabria, Italy. The original vineyards were dry-farmed and comprised of Ruby Cabernet, Zinfandel, Carignan and Grenache grapes. In 1975 Ernest produced an exceptional Ruby Cabernet, which won Double Gold in the Los Angeles County Fair and lead to a story in the New York Times.

In 1995 Ernest passed the responsibilities to his son, Gino, and daughter, Teri. Visitors to the winery these days might be greeted by Gino, or his two sons, Nick and Kevin while on their breaks or weekends away from college. In the Tasting Room, you are likely to see Teri’s son, Austin — the tasting room manager. Nick, Kevin and Austin represent the third generation of Fortino’s to contribute to the family business and are an integral part of winery operations.

We aren’t quite Napa Valley; however, Gilroy certainly is a slice of winery heaven, rich with incredible history. As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, it’s important to remember our history and our beautiful wineries. We have events going on throughout the year at our wineries including celebrations such as weddings, family reunions and birthdays, but also have public events hosted at different local wineries. Check out all of the events coming up at Gilroy’s wineries at www.visitgilroy.com/calendar.

Mattie Walker is the tourism & community engagement coordinator for Visit Gilroy. She enjoys hiking with her Pitbull-German Shepard mix Nala, shopping for the best thrift finds and hanging out in her succulent garden.