THE BACK STORY
Brothers Gary Frasinetti ( left ) and Howard Frasinetti run Sacramento ’ s Frasinetti Winery , which was founded by their grandfather 124 years ago . PHOTO BY FRED GREAVES
A Long Pour
After 124 years in business , Frasinetti Winery continues making and serving its wine
BY Ed Goldman
If you haven ’ t heard of Sacramento ’ s Frasinetti Winery , a family-ownedand-operated wine producer in the Sacramento Valley , don ’ t blame yourself . You probably had other things on your mind for the past 124 years .
The winery is run by founder James Frasinetti ’ s grandsons , Howard and Gary Frasinetti . Its location probably qualifies as a destination visit , rather than a drop-in one , even though it ’ s in Sacramento County . But it ’ s unlikely you ’ d just be meandering in this mostly industrial area just outside of Elk Grove , separated by railroad tracks from the Siemens Mobility factory where light rail trains get assembled and repaired . If you drive there from the central city , you pass through Florin , once a thriving agricultural town and now a census-designated place , then turn onto a dirt road named for the Frasinetti family .
While at first you may half expect Rod Serling , creator and host of “ The
Twilight Zone ,” to appear in the middle of this bleak stretch , it ’ s only a halfmile before the oasis of the Frasinetti Winery looms into view . You steer into a courtyard of tall trees and a series of large , handsomely kept buildings that house a restaurant , a wood-paneled and fully stocked bar ( this is one of the few wine-lover havens that also serve mixed drinks ), a tasting room , and enough banquet facilities to accommodate several simultaneous events — including an outdoor expanse for weddings .
There ’ s even a “ secret room ” to allow for surprise parties to remain just that until the last possible moment , when a member of the Frasinetti staff ( or one of the Frasinetti brothers himself ) separates two almost floor-toceiling wine racks to reveal they ’ re actually sliding doors that lead into still another party room .
“ Some think of this place as a kind of Winchester Mystery House ,” says Gary , who , at 74 , is the kid brother of his partner Howard , who ’ s 75 . They ’ ve worked together for close to 50 years and appear to remain best friends . For siblings so close in age , they ’ re unalike physically : Gary , a onetime U . S . Army drill instructor , is
Frasinetti Facts
James Frasinetti founded Frasinetti Winery in 1897
Restaurant opened in 1985
The winery operated 400 acres at its peak
Third-generation now runs the operation
Frasinetti is the oldest family-owned and operated wine producer in Sacramento Valley
88 comstocksmag . com | June 2021
SOURCE : FRASINETTI . COM