It is a story that began over 100 years ago, when in 1912, 16-year-old Adolph Parducci stowed away on a steamer bound for California, to realize his dream of owning his own vineyards and winery.

Born into a family with generations of grape growing in Tuscany, when he lands in San Francisco, Adolph begins brokering grapes for home wine consumption. Through this he meets his future wife and by 1918 has settled down in Cloverdale, growing grapes and making wine on the family’s small vineyard. Aspiring to build a full-fledged winery – most wineries in those days were barns with a press and a couple of pumps – Adolph looks further north. In 1921, he purchases a ranch in Ukiah and for the next 8 years the family commutes to the ranch on weekends, planting vineyards and building the winery.

Completed in 1932, and bonded on August 1, 1933, Parducci Wine Cellars passes from father to sons, with John Parducci taking the lead, and affectionately becoming known as Mr. Mendocino. Today Parducci Wine Cellars is the only Mendocino winery to have survived prohibition into modern times and a cornerstone of California winemaking.