Gary was born in St. Helena and was raised mostly by his grandfather Plinio and grandmother Clementine Morisoli. His first job was working as a paper delivery boy for the Napa Register and mowing lawns for neighbors. Gary quickly was brought up as a farmer by helping and watching his grandfather work on the family Ranch on Niebaum Lane in Rutherford.
After getting married to Melody in 1980 (one of my favorite people!), they moved to Rutherford full time and Gary began managing up to 300 acres of western Rutherford benchland. Some of the ranches Gary cared for include Hewitt, Hornberger, Bosché, Sycamore, Avenali, Godward and Cohn. In his own vineyard, he sold grapes to some classic wineries in Napa Valley like Whitehall Lane, Elyse, V. Sattui, Grgich, Seqouia Grove, Etude, Beaulieu Vineyards and Amici. Some of the single vineyard wines produced from his vineyard have been acclaimed as some of the best wines out of Napa Valley.
Gary uses a classic, tried and true approach to growing grapes. His implementation of vintage tractors, french plows and a variety of old discs and cultivators keep the ground well worked and weed free without the use of herbicides. Most all of the tractors he utilizes are from the 1940s to the 1970s and are well maintained and in his own words “simple to work on” so they are kept in action. Gary will always be found either on a tractor or scouting the vineyards from his blue bicycle ensuring everything is well in order.
In 2018 Gary & Melody’s son Chris returned from 12 years of active duty in the Army as a METEVAC pilot. He is working on the ranch, and since Chris has returned, the first vintage under the label of Morisoli Vineyard has been harvested! It will be the first time the family has created wine for sale and not just for their own consumption ;)
Thank you to Melody & Chris for all your help on this!
