Del Dotto Wine

Del Dotto Vineyards was founded in 1989 by real estate and infomercial mogul David Del Dotto, who fell in love with Napa Valley's Rutherford AVA. After beginning his fine wine collection at the beginning of the decade, Del Dotto dug deep into his Italian winemaking past to open one of the finest vineyards around. Now home to 437 acres across Napa Valley and Sonoma County, Del Dotto wine is known for its rich, luscious, and silky-smooth wines, earning a reputation as "Liquid Art." 

Italian Winemaking Heritage Brought to Napa: Del Dotto Winery Napa 

David Del Dotto began his career in real estate, launching a successful business as a realtor before selling courses and eventually, infomercials. Once he took his business to television, his fortune boomed, and with that came an interest in fine wine. At the beginning of the 1980s, Del Dotto used his large fortune to fuel an ever-impressive wine collection, spurred on by his family's Venetian wine heritage that dates back to the 1400s. While he had no intention of beginning a winery, David and his wife, Yolanda, fell in love with a 1912 Frank Lloyd Wright craftsman house in Rutherford on a wine-buying trip to Napa Valley. Using his real estate background, David bought the property, realizing the excellent winemaking potential the property had. 

The estate officially opened in 1989, though it did not release its first vintage until 1993, a cabernet sauvignon that reflected the trademark minerality of Rutherford wines and displayed a Bordeaux-like essence. Scoring an impressive 92-point rating from the Wine Spectator, Del Dotto cabernet quickly gained a cult following throughout the rest of the decade, leading the estate to open its first tasting room in 1999. By 2006, the estate had hired its first full-time winemaker, Gerard Zanzonico, an experienced and skilled vintner with previous experience at Chateau Montelena, Stonegate Winery, and Staglin Vineyards. 

Del Dotto Winery Vineyard and Winemaking

Del Dotto's vineyards span a total of 437 acres across Rutherford, Oakville, St. Helena, Spring Mountain District, Howell Mountain, and Sonoma Coast. Nearly 67 acres are planted in Napa Valley while 41 are planted in Sonoma County. The estate focuses on cabernet sauvignon but also plants a plethora of varietals, including chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, syrah, grenache, mourvedre, sangiovese, cabernet franc, and merlot. Ultimately, David Del Dotto believes that the consumers are "kings and queens" and likes to offer as many choices as possible to satisfy clients. 

The estate has a winning formula for creating its wines, which begins with organic farming, leading to a California Sustainable certification. With no chemical sprays or fertilizers used, the team hand-picks and hand-sorts the grapes once they are fully ripe. After undergoing maceration and fermentation, the wines are aged in American oak, French oak, or large clay amphorae vessels, depending on the varietal. The last aging type is a technique that dates back as far as 2000 years. David Del Dotto opted to use this technique to honor his family's Italian heritage, where the aging process originated and is still used. 

Del Dotto Winery Caves

One of Del Dotto's most beloved offerings is its wine tasting cave experience, giving customers an inside view of one of Napa Valley's oldest caves. The cave-cellar was hand-dug in 1885 and draws large crowds daily, offering customers a chance to try different labels for Del Dotto and experience the flamboyant nature of the estate. 

Containing one of Napa's largest cult-followings, a bottle of Del Dotto is a special gem for your cellar. Browse our collection and grab a bottle today.