In the beginning… The story begins in the early 1900’s when my grandfather, Giuseppe Giovinazzo, decided to break family tradition and pursue his own dreams. It’s quite ironic that, coming from a fishing village, he never did learn to swim in the ocean. Perhaps that is why he chose not to become a fisherman, like his father before him. Like all great Italians, he was a man of passion and his passion was to make wine. So he ventured north from the Puglia region in Italy to learn about the wine business. His searches took him to Abruzzo, where he learned about Montepulciano grapes, and to Piemonte, where he learned about Nebbiolo grapes, famous for Barolo and Barberesco wines and, of course, Barbera grapes. He did not need to go far to discover the wonderful Primitivo grapes from his own native Puglia region.
After World War One he decided to go to America, the land of opportunity, to pursue his dream. Unfortunately, the United States was in the midst of Prohibition, so he had to put his dreams on hold. He became a grave digger, saved his money, and later moved to Los Angeles. He got married and had children, and with the ever present thoughts of bottling and distributing his own wine, worked in the “wine transportation” business, always saving any extra money he earned. Finally, once Prohibition was repealed, he was able to start Sunland Vintage Company in Los Angeles, California, incorporating in February, 1935. My father would tell stories of how he would take road trips with my grandfather to Northern California to procure the grapes that reminded him most of his own homeland in Italy. And his business grew and prospered.
He became well known in the community and gave back in the form of his active membership in the Sons of Italy charitable organization. And as passionate as he was for his wine business, he was equally passionate about Thouroubred race horses. Unfortunately he could not apply the same magic and success to that passion as he did to his wine company.
