2012 Exhibit “Vines, Vineyards & Vintners: a History of Winemaking in the Morgan Hill Area.
Learn about the areas oldest wineries. Exhibit opens March 4, 2012 and runs until March 2013. The traditions started by these local pioneers are carried on today by the large number of growers and vintners we have in our area.
Malaguerra – 1869 Josè Maria Malaguerra, an immigrant from Switzerland with his wife Alvina, bought land in Madrone from Cesar & Liberata Piatti in 1861 and built the Malaguerra Winery in 1869. The winery went through a succession of owners and was operated by the Guglieri family until at least 1922.
San Martin – 1906 One of the oldest wineries in California, San Martin was founded as a local wine cooperative in 1906. The Filice family purchased the winery in 1932 and extended its production to include a variety of table and fortified wines, as well as fruit and berry wines. Sold in 1975 to Southdown Land Corporations with an ambitious program to expand, it was then sold to Somerset Wine Company and modernization continued until closure in 1991.
Pedrizzetti – 1913 What became the Pedrizzetti Winery was founded in 1913 by Camillo Columbano. It was purchased in 1938 by John Pedrizzetti, an immigrant from Taino in the Piedmont District of Italy and his wife Eda Maggiora. Their son Ed took over the winery in 1946. He and Phyllis married in 1949 and raised their family on the property. They produced Burgundy, Chablis, Vin Rose, Barbera and Zinfandel wines. The winery sold in 2006, to Morgan Hill Cellars.
Guglielmo – 1925 Emilio Guglielmo, born in 1883 near Asti in Italy’s Piedmont region, left his homeland when he was 25 and traveled to America, arriving in San Francisco in 1910. It was there that he began producing wine for friends in the basement of his home. Knowing that Prohibition would soon end, he purchased vineyard land in Morgan Hill. The Emilo Guglielmo Winery was founded in 1925. In 1944, Emilio’s son George W. and his wife Madeline took over. Their sons, George E., Gene and Gary Guglielmo now operate the very successful winery.
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