The Story

Gary Caraccioli grew up working on his family’s farm in the valley at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Gary and his brother Phil spent many hours as children watching their Swiss-Italian grandfather labor with love over his home grown, homemade wine.

Wine with dinner was truly an integral part of their Swiss-Italian heritage. As a result, Gary grew up believing that wine is not just a beverage, it is an experience. In 2006 Gary enticed his Uncle Jim and Phil to expand into the wine business with the idea that they would make an exclusive and original wine that was not being produced anywhere else in the area at that time. His goal was to develop a sophisticated and complex sparkling wine specific to the Santa Lucia Highlands.

When Gary met Michel Salgues and Joe Rawitzer, his plan was set into motion. Salgues, who was born and raised in France, and Rawitzer, a Monterey County native of Swiss-Italian decent, view wine very similarly to Gary. To enhance the consumer’s experience, the best grapes and the most stringent procedures must be used to make the finest wines. Today the Caracciolis continue to produce Brut and Brut Rose sparkling wine varietals as well as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The fourth generation of the Caraccioli family has now joined Gary in his venture; Gary’s son, Scott, is head of marketing, and his son Matthew oversees the vineyard. Caraccioli wines have been described as “Old World” which is no surprise coming from this old world family!