Giornata Wines

Brian's love for Italian wine started many years ago and stems from his lifelong love of Italian food and fascination with his Italian heritage. After working for respected Zinfandel producer Rosenblum Cellars, he traveled to Italy to work with the famous Paolo DeMarchi at Isole e Olena in Tuscany.

Brian's experience at the Tuscany winery provided him a great deal of insight into Italian winemaking, in addition to a month traveling and visiting other cellars from Tuscany to Sicily. During this trip he also reconnected with distant relatives in a small village in Sicily, the hometown of his ancestors famous for wine since the dawn of the Roman Empire.

Brian's wine making pilgrimage has not endured without some doubt and skepticism. Several years ago, he almost abandoned his dream when one of California’s most famous winemakers told him: “If you want to make nebbiolo move to Italy. You’ll never do it here.” A couple of months later a meeting with Steve Clifton of Palmina winery refreshed his momentum.

Steve convinced Brian to keep working toward his dream and shared stories of his own success. In 2005 while studying enology at Fresno State he married Stephanie, the love of his life, and a true vineyard guru. Her enthusiasm toward Italian wine was as powerful as his and they spent their honeymoon visiting the top producers at their estates in Italy.

Brian also spent harvests working with Chris King at Red Car and Mike Sinor of Sinor-Lavallee. In addition to handling winemaking duties for Giornata, Brian is also the founder, owner and winemaker for Broadside.