Castelli & Pizarro Family Winery

What began as a hobby turned into something more. The adventure began when Mike’s daughter, Cassie, decided to get married at Cordiano Winery in 2008. Its Italian owner convinced Mike to plant some vines. A few vines turned into 3,000 vines. Mike soon realized he needed help. That’s when he recruited his son-in-law Nelson to join him. For three years, they spent most days in the vineyard, caring meticulously for each vine. Soon after, Mike and Nelson built a 1,600 square foot cellar to store the wine he anticipated. From the beginning, Mike and Nelson realized they needed advice on every aspect of growing, harvesting, and fermenting their grapes. They sought the counsel of neighbors with established vineyards, among them, Cactus Star Vineyard, Highland Hills Winery and Kohill Winery. The owners shared their valuable knowledge and answered endless questions, ultimately empowering Nelson to turn their hobby focused grapes into award-winning wines.