About Fontanella Family Winery
Fontanella Family Winery carries the Italian-heritage family surname of the Fontanella family — their name from the Italian fontanella, meaning 'little fountain' or 'small spring,' the diminutive of fontana. The water-source etymology connects naturally to viticulture: the little fountain of water that sustains the vine through the dry California summer, the spring that makes wine possible.
The Partrick Road estate on Mt. Veeder produces Cabernet Sauvignon from the appellation's volcanic and sedimentary mountain soils at high elevation, where the diurnal temperature swings and marine fog access create wines of unusual mineral character and structural complexity. The Italian-fountain-naming connects to the estate's water-source stewardship as much as to family heritage.