Meet The Family Behind Spoto Family Wines
Spoto Family Wines, an ultra-boutique winery, produces less than 500 cases of premier wines from the Napa Valley. It is exclusively run by three generations of Spotos.
Spoto Family Wines may be found at many high-end restaurants and wine shops primarily in California, but the wines are also available on a national platform.
STUART SPOTO - WINEMAKER
Born in Yuba City and raised in Davis, California, Stuart received his degree in Chemical and Civil Engineering from the University of California, Davis. When Henry Spoto’s notable, small batch wine caught the eye of the head of Enology at UC Davis, Stuart acquired extensive knowledge in the art of winemaking by working closely with the head of Enology who made a couple of vintages with the father-son Spoto team.
While attending school, Stuart met and later married the artistic and vivacious Christy who shared his passion for winemaking. Following graduation, Stuart worked as a civil engineer while continuing to make wine with his father as a passion project. After several years, Stuart turned his desire to make wine into a fulltime commitment and business. In 2004, with Christy by his side lending valuable, equal support, Stuart built and licensed the first bonded winery in Sacramento County, Spoto Family Wines. In November 2010, Spoto Family Wines was invited to join the Oakville Wine Growers Association which promotes the Oakville AVA as the premier Cabernet region in the US. A year later Spoto Family Wines was granted membership into the Napa Valley Vintners, a prestigious organization that promotes the wines from the Napa Valley region. Today, Spoto Family Wines is dedicated to producing the finest small-production, high quality Oakville wines hand crafted from grape to glass out of the comfort and convenience of their home for a truly personal touch.
As winemaker, Stuart oversees all aspects of managing the day-to-day operations in their expanded garage, including quality control, fermentation monitoring, tank and lot organizing, selecting and inspecting barrels, blending, batonnage, selecting corks and bottles, bottling and labeling. Stuart also works closely with the vineyard managers whom he considers friends on guiding the grapes from the vineyard to the winery.
Christy, Stuart’s wife of over 30 years, assists in every aspect of winemaking from bottling to marketing, and manages the Spoto Family Wine Club as well as coordinating all social events. Following her father’s footsteps, the Spoto’s eldest daughter, Ari, has a degree in wine and viticulture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, assists with the winemaking, as well as working on her own personal label. With a degree in biochemistry from the University of San Diego, younger daughter Alexi challenges Stuart technically and oversees winery social media, newsletter communications and information on wine offerings.
Stuart and his wife, Christy, reside at their home and winery located in the Arden-Oaks neighborhood of Sacramento. When Stuart is not making wine, he loves traveling and spending time with their wine club members who he considers close friends.
"Family, friends, food and red wine are key ingredients to a happy life" - Stuart Spoto
In loving memory of our Patriarch Henry Spoto Jr. 12/2/1931 - 2/12/2020
