Locatelli’s “Melodia” (Melody) is another wonderful blend - this time of Old Vine Zinfandel (50%) & Estate Petite Sirah (50%). The Old Vine Zin adds concentrated flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, raspberry, and dark cherry, as well as peppery tannins. The addition of Petite Sirah creates a rich, potent yet elegant, wine, complicated by an exotic floral nuance on the back. This a juicy wine pairs perfectly with barbecue - ribs, burgers, and grilled steak are all excellent choices.

The owners of Locatelli Vineyards & Winery are Louis & Raynette Gregory who previously owned & operated an engineering business in Kingsburg. In 1996, they looked to California’s Central Coast to buy property wishing to switch occupations to the world of farming & enology. That is when they found their 100 acre property just north of Paso Robles, nestled in the picturesque Santa Lucia foothills overlooking the beautiful Salinas River Valley & Old Mission San Miguel. With the help of Raynette’s father, Reuben Gruber, the property was transformed from cattle land to 40 acres of premium wine grapes. Reuben continued to manage & oversee the wine grapes until 2001, when Louis & Raynette, with their young family, moved permanently to Locatelli Vineyards.

In that same year, Locatelli Vineyards changed their name to Locatelli Vineyards & Winery. The entire winemaking process from start to finish is accomplished by Louis Gregory with additional recruitments for crush & bottling. Raynette can usually be found in the office & tasting room managing the day-to-day business.

The vineyard varietals consist mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Petite Sirah with additional plantings to Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Malbec, & Muscat Blanc. This gives Louis the flexibility to develop new blends as well as some traditional ones. Their most popular wine is currently an extraordinary blend of five varietals called “Spirito di Vigna” (Spirit of the Vine), which is one of this month’s featured wines. Before bottling, all the wines are aged for two to three years in French & American oak barrels.