Pestoni Family Estate Winery

Pestoni Family Estate Winery is a Rutherford property where the Pestoni family has been farming since the 1910s, making them among the oldest agricultural families in the appellation. Founded as a formal winery in 2008 after nearly a century of grape growing, the estate produces wines that reflect both the Italian heritage of the founding family and the Rutherford terroir that has sustained them for over 100 years. The inclusion of Sangiovese alongside Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot nods to the family's Tuscan roots.

The 30-acre estate sits on the Rutherford benchland, where over a century of family farming has produced intimate knowledge of every block, every soil type, and every microclimate on the property. The vineyard is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Merlot, with the Italian variety reflecting the family's heritage and the Bordeaux varieties capitalizing on the appellation's proven strengths. The warm Rutherford climate ripens all three varieties fully, producing wines of generous character.

Winemaker Gustavo Gonzalez produces a portfolio that bridges the family's Italian past and their Rutherford present. The Cabernet delivers classic appellation character at fair prices. The Sangiovese is bright and food-friendly, showing the cherry and herbal notes that the variety develops in warm California soils. The Merlot is plush and approachable. All wines are priced to reflect the family's farming heritage rather than the luxury aspirations of the appellation.

Tastings are by appointment on the estate, where the family's 100-year farming story provides context for every pour. The staff, often family members, share the history of the property with a pride that reflects a genuine connection to the land. The $50 fee is moderate for Rutherford estate wines.

Pestoni embodies the multi-generational farming tradition that forms the backbone of Rutherford's winemaking identity. The family's century-long tenure on this land predates most of the famous wineries that surround them, and their wines carry the depth of knowledge that only a hundred years of farming can provide.