- Natasha MingayThe Story of a Soquel Vineyard – Legacy Rooted in Passion
In the early 1970s, while on a family outing to cut Christmas trees up Rodeo Gulch Road, Angelo Raffaelli saw a simple “For Sale” sign posted along a dusty trail in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It marked a raw, untouched, five-and-a-half-acre parcel — once part of an old cattle ranch, scattered with forgotten fence posts, rusted horseshoes, and the occasional bone fragment. There was nothing around for miles. But Angelo saw something more.
What he envisioned was a slice of Tuscany—his homeland—right here in the hills above Santa Cruz.
For Sale: 3357 Chardonnay Road, Soquel – Listed by Natasha Mingay & Tom Brezsny
The dream began with a well, located by a water witch. Then came the barn, poured by hand and signed in concrete by Angelo himself. That “barn” still stands today as the cozy cottage on the property. He designed every inch of this land — from the trees and grapevines to the irrigation and trellising — with the care and precision only a dreamer with calloused hands could offer.
In 1982, Angelo planted the first vineyard — three and a half acres of Chardonnay, totaling 2,000 vines. It remains one of the oldest vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Using a quadrilateral cordon system, advanced for its time, the vines were trained to grow upward and loop over, forming a leaf canopy that harnessed sunlight like solar panels — nature’s engineering at its finest.
As Galileo once said, “Wine is sunlight, held together by water.” And on this land, that couldn’t be more true.
For over a decade, the fruit was sold to Soquel Vineyards and Byington. In 1996, the vineyard yielded an incredible 25 tons of Chardonnay — a testament to the land’s fertility and care.
But markets change. As Chardonnay became ubiquitous, prices dropped from $3,500 per ton to just $600. Angelo pivoted. He grafted Pinot Noir onto the Chardonnay trunks, introducing three elegant clones: 667, 777, and Pommard. He sold his fruit to Vine Hill Winery, whose celebrated winemaker, Sal Godinez turned the grapes into “Cumbre,” a wine that sold for over $80 a bottle.
One row of Chardonnay and one row of Sangiovese were left untouched — a quiet homage to his heritage.
Though Pinot Noir produces lower yields, the quality was unmatched. When Vine Hill’s business model shifted, Angelo began selling to Hallcrest in Felton. Then in 2020, his son Rob brought the story full circle — keeping the fruit for the family’s own label: Raffaelli Vineyards.
The wine speaks for itself. Earthy, peppery Pinot Noir with bright cherry and fruit notes. The 2020, ’21, and ’22 vintages all earned awards, with the 2021 vintage scoring an 89 from Wine Spectator.
The work is constant, but deeply rewarding.
- Winter brings pruning, cutting back canes to two buds.
- Spring brings tilling, clearing, and sucker removal.
- Summer means fighting mildew, thinning the canopy, and managing irrigation.
- Fall is for bird netting and the sacred harvest.
Then the cycle pauses — leaves turn brilliant shades of gold and crimson, and the vines rest until February or March, when it all begins again.
Owning this vineyard is more than acquiring property — it’s stepping into a story nearly 50 years in the making. A story of family, resilience, and a deep love of wine.
Whoever becomes the next steward of 3357 Chardonnay Road won’t just inherit land. They’ll inherit a legacy.
