Gilroy
– An award winning Hecker Pass vineyard will stay in the hands
of a local family, as two brothers partner to carry on their
father’s business.
Gilroy – An award winning Hecker Pass vineyard will stay in the hands of a local family, as two brothers partner to carry on their father’s business.
Michael and Vic Vanni took over management of Solis Winery at the beginning of the year from their father David. He has operated the vineyard from its earliest days in 1980, when it was just a five-acre site with no production facilities, through last year, when the 16-acre vineyard pulled down a prestigious industry award.
David Vanni and his wife Valerie, who has helped run Solis for more than 15 years, placed the vineyard on the market in September for $4 million. The lure of retirement and some world travel led to the decision, according to Vic Vanni.
“There were people who were really disappointed it was going to be sold,” said Vanni, 37. “They’ve had good relationships with my dad and his wife, and they were really disappointed that they’re giving it up. My brother and I had a lot of questions about why we’re not taking it over, and after hearing that so many times, you start to wonder, ‘Why not?'”
The brothers formally took over management of the facility Jan. 1, and have spent the last month discussing ways to improve the Solis brand. The vineyard name got a high-profile plug last June when it won the prestigious “Best of Class” award for its 2002 Syrah at the Los Angeles County Fair, but the brothers are not focusing on national status.
Instead, they plan to focus on strengthening the brand locally by tripling their wine club membership (now more than 1,000 members) in the next five years, improving their Web site for online purchases, and getting their wines on more restaurant menus and store shelves.
“My dad and Valerie laid a great foundation for us as far as making great wine and getting a great reputation in the wines and marketing,” said Michael Vanni, who has managed production for seven years. “Marketing has just started rolling recently and we know there’s a lot of potential. It seems to be a great time for us to come in and take it to a new level.”
Though the vineyard will remain in family hands, the fate of a new tasting room remains unclear. David Vanni, who could not be reached for comment, has dealt with a bureaucratic nightmare at the hands of county planners in the last five years, and he retires without final approval of permits for the new facility.
Vanni’s parents spent the last few years battling with Santa Clara County planners to expand and modernize their facility, located on Hecker Pass Highway in Gilroy.
The Vannis fist petitioned the county in March 2001 with plans to tear down their existing 2,500-square-foot building and replace it with a 4,000-square-foot building for wine tasting, receptions and corporate events.
The county stalled the project by delaying permit approvals and demanding repairs to various parts of the facility. The list of changes the Vannis had to make included removing a driveway, upgrading their septic system, and erecting a 46,000-gallon water tank.
The family spent more than $250,000 in the process, and every time they thought they were finished, county planners ordered more work.
That permitting process in now in the final stages, though Michael Vanni said he is not sure how soon it would move forward. Ideally, he said they hope to finance the new facility by growing the business. And that means cultivating their reputation in Gilroy, especially through an expanding base of faithful patrons.
“Wine club is your bread and butter,” Michael Vanni said. “Those are the people who love the wine and will talk about it and advertise it for you.”
Solis Winery is located at 3920 Hecker Pass Highway. Visit them online at www.soliswinery.com.
Serdar Tumgoren, Senior Staff Writer, covers City Hall for The Dispatch. Reach him at 847-7109 or st*******@gi************.com.
