Voted best winery in Gilroy for three consecutive years, Fortino Winery is one of the most beloved wineries in Santa Clara Valley. Fortino Winery has been in business since 1970 when Ernest and Marie Fortino bought an existing vineyard on Hecker Pass in Gilroy. Bringing winemaking traditions from their hometown of Calabria, Italy, Ernest and Marie built a reputation for quality wines and, in 1978, established one of the very first wine clubs in California.
I caught up with Gino Fortino, Ernest and Marie’s son, on a warm April afternoon as he was busily tending to customers in the tasting room and running back to help filter a batch of pomegranate wine. In between, he stopped to answer questions from his devoted office staff: Debbi Sanchez, event coordinator, Bertha Valenzuela, outside sales representative and Dawn Jackson, wine club director.
“They are the best team I could ever hope to work with,” Gino said.
Gino told me that when his parents started the winery, it was one of only 240 bonded wineries in all of California (presently there are 3,400). He grew up helping out in the vineyard, “doing whatever needed to get done.” In 1995, his parents were ready to pass the torch of their well-established business to the next generation – and so Gino and his sister, Teri, took over.
Gino’s strategic decision to obtain wedding and commercial kitchen permits launched the business to a whole new level. The beauty of the vineyards and convenience of having the ability to prepare food on site makes the winery one of the most popular venues in our area – weddings are booked every weekend through October.
Gino also made the switch from aging wine in big tanks to smaller barrels in order to reduce oxidation and improve flavors. He prefers to use older oak barrels that impart less oak and vanilla flavors than new barrels.
“I don’t want to mask the natural flavors of the wine with oak and feel like I’m tasting a piece of wood,” he said.
Another signature feature of Fortino wines is that they all have a nice, soft finish. By keeping the wines under 14 percent alcohol, there isn’t that “bite” or burning sensation that often comes with higher alcohol wines.
Fortino Winery has a total of 50 planted acres, which include Estate Merlot, Cabernet, Carignan, Charbono, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir.
“Our Cabernet grapes put out gold medals all the time,” Gino said. “They have a long growing season and are the last grapes to ripen and the last to be harvested. The 2010 Estate Cabernet is fruit forward with intense flavors of blackberry and boysenberry and has a smooth finish.”
Maribella, named after Gino’s mother, Marie, is a red blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah. It won Best in Class in the 2013 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and is one of my very favorite wines.
Out of 80 acres of Charbono vines in all of California, Gino has three of them. The grapes produce a dry, full-bodied wine – similar to a Barbera – that goes well with a juicy steak. The 2008 Charbono is another gold-medal winner and so popular that it always sells out.
Another top seller is the almond Champagne with a hint of sweetness on the finish – perfect for weddings and birthday parties.
With all the great wines, a well-stocked gift shop and fun events such as the wildly popular “Girl’s Night Out” theme parties and “Music in the Vineyard,” it’s no wonder that Fortino’s boasts a wine club of nearly 1,000 members.
Before we parted, I asked Gino about the next generation taking over the winery.
“It’s a family business,” he said. “Between Teri and me, we have three teenage sons. If they want it, it’s here.”
I, like thousands of others, am rooting for a third generation.
Bev Stenehjem is a wine columnist for South Valley Newspapers. Reach her at
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