THE WINERY
Established in 1932, Parducci Wine Cellars is the oldest winery in Mendocino County, California's northernmost premium winegrowing region. The winery produces approximately 150,000 cases of premium and super-premium wines and has recently been certified as an organic processor. Parducci's estate vineyard encompasses 30 acres of benchland surrounding the winery. The site boasts gentle slopes and shallow soils ideal for the robust red varieties - Syrah and old-vine Petite Sirah - that comprise the majority of its vines. Under the direction of its new ownership, the Mendocino Wine Company, Parducci's vineyard is being converted to organic farming practices and within several years will be certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF).

OWNERSHIP
In May 2004, Parducci Wine Estates was purchased by the Mendocino Wine Company (MWC), a new family partnership between grape-growing neighbors on the Old River Road, Paul Dolan and the Thornhill family.

MWC president Paul Dolan has 30 years' experience growing grapes and making wine in Mendocino, most notably as the longtime winemaker and, later, president of Fetzer Vineyards. Legendary in the California wine industry for pioneering organic farming and sustainable business practices (detailed in his book True to Our Roots), Paul is a true visionary whose experience and leadership qualities will be great assets to Parducci.

The Thornhill family is the owner of La Ribera Vineyard in Ukiah Valley, source of the grapes for some of Mendocino's finest wines. Tim Thornhill, MWC's chief operating officer and partner, is a noted arborist and horticultural consultant. Tim's projects range from coast to coast and have included such things as wetlands preservation, dune restoration, resort hotels and theme park development. His brother, Tom, a businessman with an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and their father, Tommy are also MWC partners.

WINEMAKER
In addition to winemaking and production, Bob Swain, Parducci's winemaker, personally supervises the vineyard throughout the growing season to monitor the progress of the vines. During harvest, he visits daily to determine the optimum time to pick the fruit. Grapes from a single variety harvested from different blocks of the vineyard, or from the same block on different days, are fermented and stored separately prior to blending, providing the Parducci winemaking team with the flexibility essential to producing the finest, most consistent blends year after year. Bob's talent and dedication to excellence are reflected in the countless awards and accolades Parducci wines have won since his arrival.