Volante Vineyards

My involvement with wine started some forty years ago, and over the years yours truly has blossomed into an avid connoseur and collector. Being trained as a Chemist (Master Michigan State) and spending my entire working career in the chemical industry provided a great basis and opportunity to explore the technology, while enjoying wines.

My job brought me to California several times each year and the Napa/Sonoma area soon became the vacation spot of choice. In addition, late in my chemical industry career, the job provided several visits to Australia and a chance to spend weekends and vacation days getting to know and understand their fabulous wine industry.

As retirement time approached there was little doubt that a second career in the wine and grape business was in the offing and toward that end we purchased 78 acres of virgin land in Sonoma County.

Retirement came in 1986 and we moved directly to the new place in Sonoma. Work on the new vineyard began almost immediately. The land was almost all "hillside" and ranged in elevation from 1300 to 1800 feet. There were many rocks, steep hills and bluffs. The land was moderately forested with 3 different Oak trees, Douglas fir, Manzanita, and Bay. About 70% of the property appeared to be plantable.

The views were fantastic with Mt. St. Helena (in Napa County) to the North, Santa Rosa to the West and even San Francisco Bay to the South.

-- Chuck McCoy