A History of Generosa Winery
Generosa Winery was an artisanal boutique winery that enjoyed brief but golden years here in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California.
Chris Gemignani was the winemaker and inspiration behind the winery, which was named after his grandmother, “Generosa,” who came to San Francisco in the early 1900s. Chris grew up in San Francisco and became an attorney; he believed in working hard and playing hard. When it came to play, his heart always brought him back to Italy and in particular one summer when he learned to make wine with his family in the Tuscan region of Italy. Many years later, the passion that was ignited back in Italian family vineyards came alive again in the Santa Cruz Mountains as he launched a much-cherished dream: his own winery, complete with bocce ball courts, and tasting room. Fans and friends of the winery remember these days as exciting, impromptu times when Chris invited small groups in for "crush" parties, and barrel-sampling, with Chris more often than not, pulling out pizzas from his own hand-crafted oven. Chris' tragic and untimely death in 2007 left all who knew him bereft, not only for Chris as a family man, and a friend to the community, but for his enthusiastic love of bringing people together to celebrate la dolce vita.
Generosa of course, means, generous - a word that aptly describes the bold, luscious Tuscan style wines Chris achieved. The intriguing label depicts an Etruscan version of a dionysian angel, invoking a mysterious, rich past, inviting the beholder into another world. Indeed, these wines hold entry into another world of wine appreciation. Chris chose only the best when it came to his wine-making: the best grapes contracted from vineyards who grew to his exact specifications; custom-toasted French oak barrels for the mellow aging of his wine; imported Italian bottles, heavier than those traditionally used, to allow the wine to continue to age gracefully. He used sophisticated techniques such as Saignee where some juice is taken away from the grape must, thus deepening the wine’s phenolic concentration, and triple Delestage, a process of draining the fermentation tank of its juice, allowing the must to crush under its own weight and then refilling the tank back with the now micro-oxygenated wine. Generosa wines bring to the table the complexity of an European palate and an opulent mouth-feel rarely found in this country.
Some things in life are finite. Generosa Winery may have closed its doors forever, but those fortunate few who shared in its dream - know that some things do live on. The vitality and passion that Chris brought to his wine-making are locked away in each bottle. Uncorked - these bold, beautiful wines release the generosity and spirit that went into creating them, leaving us a memorable experience to savor.
A History of Generosa Shared
