With the warm weather in the Sonoma and Napa Valley comes blossoms, mustard and an assortment of abundant wildflowers amid rolling hills of green as far as the eye can see. For the Belmonte family spring is the ideal season to enjoy their “little town within a little town,” at VJB Cellars and Winery.
This past winter this reporter stumbled across VJB when meeting Kenwood resident and Fawn Rescue founder Marj Davis for an interview. She recommended the place and to my delight I found VJB Cellars a very inviting spot filled with European charm and a genuine hospitality like no other in the county.
Henry Belmonte who’s family owns VJB explained. “We came to this area when my brother and I were little in the 1960s. My mom and dad were on a visit from the Boston area and immediately they knew this is where they wanted to be.” Originally from the town of Avellino in Campania region of Southern Italy, “it is not as important as Rome with the Vatican or as prestigious as Venice; or as high fashion as Milan, he said. But it was home to us.” In addition to its industrial zones where engines are made for cars like Fiat and Alfa Romeo, the region is a producer of hazelnuts.
Even with its agricultural beauty and cultural ambiances, the Belmonte family wanted very much to come to America. And as Henry said, at first they started small. They opened Caffe Portofino, a popular restaurant in downtown Santa Rosa. Patrons loved his mother Maria Belmonte’s food and chatting with his father Vittorio. Henry and his brother Victor managed the front of the house. As Henry and Victor watched diners enjoy wine with their meals they had an idea to start making their own wine to sell at the restaurant.
Henry and Victor made their first harvest of Cabernet grapes in 1999. Yet, sadly, Victor died unexpectedly. Despite their grief, Henry, along with his parents Vittorio and Maria, were determined to keep his younger brother’s memory and passion for making wine alive. VJB Vineyards and Cellars was established. The acronym stands for Victor Joseph Belmonte. The winery and entire complex is named in his honor.
To help fund this family endeavor, in 2002, the Belmonte’s sold their restaurant and began renovating an old home and garden store on Highway 12 in Kenwood. Opening on Memorial Day weekend of 2003, with only five wines on the list, their dream began to emerge and grow.
Planting vines for their popular Montepulciano and Aglianico wines, in 2010 they purchased adjacent acreage. They turned the existing ranch-style home on the property into a stunning Tuscan-style villa that houses their tasting room, marketplace and deli, chocolatier, as well as an outdoor pizza kitchen and a fabulous piazza that is the heart of the new property. For over a decade VJB Cellars and Vineyards has become a center and is as Henry said “literally at the heart of Kenwood.”
In creating a piazza or little ‘town square” VJB has been transformed into more like a little village a traveler might find on a trip to Europe. “That is pretty much what the Belmonte family wanted to create, said Lindsay Evans McGorry, who serves as VJB’s manager and PR coordinator. The spirit of hospitality is in all that they do.
“We also have an upstairs banquet hall for visitors to gather and enjoy a meal. But, she was quick to point out, we don’t do any extensive catering. We don’t host weddings or anything like that.” Yet, couples and families are welcome to visit.
“One of the things I love seeing most here at VJB are all the people here celebrating love,” said Henry. “In the past couple of years we’ve seen several couples get engaged here; some have celebrated upcoming weddings with family and friends; others come for their anniversaries to rejoice in a long lasting love. Knowing that the wine and food we produce is part of those celebrations and memories is as gratifying as it is humbling,” he said.
“Everything is here for visitors to come and enjoy, said McGorry. Our deli has everything one would need for a picnic and we offer an extensive array of one-of-a-kind food items, especially from Italy.”
What is amazing about VJB and the little town within a town that they created is that all of it stemmed out of their flagship wine, Dante, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Sangiovese blend which they still produce. With a portfolio of more than 15 wines including several Italian varietals rarely produced in California, coupled with wood oven pizzas and the wonderful, home style Italian food Maria is so well known for, VJB quickly became a must visit destination in the Sonoma Valley.
“I come here a lot,” said Davis. When I am meeting people or want to entertain guests, I bring them here. Henry and his family are always so gracious.”
As spring continues to unfold and weather gets warmer, I recommend VJB Cellars and Vineyards on the wine country tasting tour. As said before, It’s charm and hospitality is like no other. And, the rustic tranquility of Kenwood along the highway is easy to reach and enjoy. Reviews on Snooth and Yelp also give praise. For more information about VJB Cellars and Vineyards, see the web site. Or call 707-833-2300.
