RON DONATI
Owner

As a second generation Italian-American, Ron Donati’s earliest experience with wine was at the family dinner table. “My father and grandfather always had wine with dinner. When I was in my early teens they would mix it with about 70% water and serve it to us at Sunday dinners and on special occasions,” Ron recalled.

Ron was able to build on this father-son tradition when he was in college and working part-time at a liquor store, where he sold wines such as those from Louis Martini and Charles Krug. “I’d frequently bring new wines home to share with the family at Sunday meals,” Ron said.

But an appreciation for good wine isn’t the only thing Ron inherited from his father and grandfather. His ancestors also taught him the value of hard work combined with an adventuresome spirit. It is this Donati family philosophy that gave him the foundation he needed to succeed first as a CPA, then as an entrepreneur, and now as the co-owner of the Donati Family Vineyard.

“When my grandfather first came to the United States from Italy, it was four or five years until he had enough money to send for my grandmother and their first daughter,” Ron said. “That’s the kind of dedication it took to succeed back then, and it still holds true today.”

Ron’s personal interest in wine turned professional after he sold his electronics business in 1997. With his son Matt, who had an interest in farming, Ron started looking at potential vineyard land near their home on California’s Central Coast.

“We initially bought land in Salinas, but it turned out to be too cold, there was no water, and it just wasn’t suitable for growing grapes,” Ron said. “Then a friend in the real estate business got a tip that an old vineyard in Paicines might be for sale, and the rest is history.”

That was 1998. Since then, Ron and Matt have been working closely together, first to develop the vineyard, and then to plan the winery. “We have a different type of relationship than most fathers and sons who are in business together,” Ron said. “Matt really runs the show and does most of the hard field work. I just provide support and suggestions, teaching him budgeting, cash flow, and all of those things that will be important to him as he goes forward.”

With a solid foundation and understanding of what it takes to succeed in business, Ron and Matt also know that there is no substitute for real-world experience. To help achieve their goal of becoming known as a producer of high quality fruit and wines, the Donatis have spared no energy in educating themselves about the wine and grape growing business. This perseverance and dedication are now paying off with the release of the Donati Family Vineyard wines.