Dr. Frank Crinella is a professor of pediatrics, psychiatry and human behavior at UC Irvine who has lived in Costa Mesa for 30 years. So, what makes a respected doctor want to get into the wine business? Blame it on his parents.

In 1944, Marian and Marino Crinella acquired a 72-acre ranch in Sonoma County that was part of an old Mexican land grant dating back to 1838. In 1988, Crinella and his sister, Ramona, inherited the land, and a few years later, decided to plant grapevines – specifically sauvignon blanc, their father’s favorite grape varietal.

Crinella and his sister added pinot noir grapes to their property and now make three distinct wines, including a dessert wine called Glissando.

“Our parents were sticklers for doing things the right way,” says Crinella. “Whether studying, or playing a sport or musical instrument, there was no substitute for excellence. We were taught to have patience and to take the time to do things right the first time. We have that same approach to our vineyards and winemaking: to make the best wine possible from the best grapes possible.”
They’ve certainly done that; the 2003 sauvignon blanc (the first vintage from the Crinella vineyard) won a silver medal at the 2004 Sonoma County Harvest Festival, and the 2005 vintage took gold at the Dallas Morning News Competition. Last year the Glissando was awarded a gold medal at the San Francisco International Wine Competition.   

In addition to information about the winery, the Crinella Winery’s Web site contains the Crinella Family Cookbook, which features dozens of delicious recipes handed down from Crinella’s grandparents. crinellawinery.com   

From Italy to Newport to Napa
Don Sodaro has made his mark in the hotel industry, and his involvement with The Orange County Performing Artscenter, the Tiger Woods Foundation, the Bowers Museum and Chapman University (where’s he’s chairman of the Board of Trustees) qualifies him as one of the region’s leading philanthropists. And now you can add winery owner to that list of accomplishments.

Sodaro’s grandfather was a cooper in Italy – he made wine barrels by hand and sold them to local wineries. It was only a matter of time before Sodaro would be compelled to reconnect with his roots and open Sodaro Estate Winery. Ten years ago, he and his wife, Dee-Dee, purchased 21-acres in Napa Valley, planted Bordeaux-style grapes and built a fully functioning winemaking facility. The resulting wine has won many awards and is found in some of the finest restaurants in the country.

“Wine is an intriguing product,” says Sodaro, who splits his time between Newport Beach and Napa. “It’s incredible the interest that people have in wine and the joy it brings them. You taste a good glass of wine, and it makes a big difference. It’s something that people really enjoy.”
    
Sodaro only produces between 1,200 and 1,400 cases a year. “So we don’t really cater to the typical crowd that comes up for wine tasting,” he says. “Our winery is by appointment only and for people who are serious about wine. When you come up to visit us, we take you to the winery, we taste the wines, we talk about the different wines, we sample the wines in the barrel, and we go out in the vineyard, and look at the topography and what’s really involved in making wine. It’s a very private, in-depth thing for people who are really interested in it.” sodarowines.com