Vintners

Celebrating Wine & The ND Family

23 Wines Web

Vintners

Celebrating Wine & The ND Family

Featured Vintners

  • Carmen And Gail Policy

    Carmen and Gail Policy (Notre Dame Parents)

    Casa Piena

    Casa Piena was founded by Carmen and Gail Policy with the philosophy that wine is more than the sum of... read more

    Carmen And Gail Policy

    Carmen and Gail Policy (Notre Dame Parents)

    Casa Piena

    Casa Piena was founded by Carmen and Gail Policy with the philosophy that wine is more than the sum of the flavors in a glass, it is about a lively shared experience with people you want to be with. Casa Piena literally means full house. The five major blocks of Policy Vineyard are named after each of Carmen’s three sons and two daughters (thus, three of a kind and a pair). Four of the five children graduated from the University of Notre Dame.

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  • Brutocao

    Dr. Rudi & Diana Brutoco

    Brutocao Cellars

    Dr. Rudi & Diana Brutoco have led the family's winery affiliation with Notre Dame, along with their cousin, Dr. Dan... read more

    Brutocao

    Dr. Rudi & Diana Brutoco

    Brutocao Cellars

    Dr. Rudi & Diana Brutoco have led the family's winery affiliation with Notre Dame, along with their cousin, Dr. Dan Brutocao '82 and their son, Paul Brutoco '11. Pictured here at a Notre Dame Family Wines event in Napa. 

    Picsart 23 10 24 21 55 13 991

    Brothers Dan, Len, Steven and David with their mother and winery co-founder, Marty Brutocao.

    Brutoco/Brutocao Notre Dame Family Members include:  Dan '82, Scott '91,  Desiree [DeLisle] '91, Marcus '06, Paul '09, Caitlin [Murphy] '09 SMC, Adam A. '11, Connor '15, Claire [Bedalov] '15, Michael '19, Adam D. '20, Chasen '21, + Dr. & Mrs. Rudi & Diana Brutoco (ND Sexton Award for "A Life That Exemplifies The Spirit of the University of Notre Dame", longtime President's Council (Arts & Letters) & President's Club members, Grad Fellowship and Campus Sculpture Donors)

     

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  • Switzerland

    Heath and Carey Fear (Notre Dame Parents)

    Perchance Estates

    Heath and Carey Fear reside in the Chicagoland area and are parents to Notre Dame student, Paris Fear '26.  Heath... read more

    Switzerland

    Heath and Carey Fear (Notre Dame Parents)

    Perchance Estates

    Heath and Carey Fear reside in the Chicagoland area and are parents to Notre Dame student, Paris Fear '26.  Heath and Carey, along with their dear friends Dean and Katie Papadakis, traveled an unlikely and serendipitous path to become the owners of Perchance Estates. Starting out with a single vineyard offering, the winery has blossomed and in 2023 will be releasing four special wines,  two single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons (Beckstoffer To Kalon and Georges III), a Chardonnay (Beckstoffer Carneros Lake/ Las Amigas) and a Sauvignon Blanc (Beckstoffer Melrose). So exactly how did these Midwesterners come to own a critically acclaimed cult winery? In their own words …      

    We arrived in Napa Valley for a 50th birthday celebration, with no intention of leaving as vintners. Little did we know that the ethos of Napa Valley would send us on an exciting new journey.  Having rented a house that was a bit off the beaten path, we scheduled an intimate tasting with our friends Mike and Leah Smith. We have been drinking Mike’s incredible Cabernets and watching his meteoric rise in the wine industry for nearly a decade, and that night, naturally, the wine and conversation began to flow effortlessly.  At one point, Mike mentioned that certain rows of Cabernet Sauvignon in the historic Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III might be available. We knew that vintners waited years for the opportunity to work with grapes from Georges III, and that many never got the chance. Mike described to us in detail the premium terroir of the available rows, and wondered if we might be interested in procuring the grapes.

    Did we mention that we had no intention of becoming vintners? The possibility had never crossed our minds, but the chance to make Cabernet Sauvignon from one of Napa Valley’s sacred heritage vineyards was exhilarating. And when Mike offered to make the wine and lend us the decades of experience that both he and Leah have acquired over the course of their incredible careers, our path was charted. At that very moment, the Monarch completed our four-leaf clover: Good fortune and great timing offered us a portal into the fascinating world of winemaking, and a thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime challenge.

     

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  • Martin Loretta And John Bargetto At Regan Vineyards

    John Bargetto '88 MBA

    Bargetto Winery

    Bargetto Winery is one of the most historic wineries in California. Since 1933, the Bargetto family has been dedicated to... read more

    Martin Loretta And John Bargetto At Regan Vineyards

    John Bargetto '88 MBA

    Bargetto Winery

    Bargetto Winery is one of the most historic wineries in California. Since 1933, the Bargetto family has been dedicated to producing exquisite varietals, especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. John Bargetto ’88 M.B.A. directs the Regan Vineyards estate and serves as director of winemaking. The estate vineyard is one of the largest and most diverse vineyards in the mountains with 12 different varietals and clones.

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  • Joe Stephanie Gallo

    Joseph E. Gallo '62, Stephanie Gallo '94, and Joseph C. Gallo '98

    E. & J. Gallo Winery

    Since its inception in 1933, the Gallo family has had a profound impact on the wine industry. It was just... read more

    Joe Stephanie Gallo

    Joseph E. Gallo '62, Stephanie Gallo '94, and Joseph C. Gallo '98

    E. & J. Gallo Winery

    Since its inception in 1933, the Gallo family has had a profound impact on the wine industry. It was just after Prohibition when brothers Ernest and Julio established the E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, California. In line with their commitment to excellence, many family members have attended the University of Notre Dame, including David E. Gallo ’61, Joseph E. Gallo ’62, Stephanie Gallo Tyler ’94 and Joseph C. Gallo ’98.

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  • Louis Lucas

    Louis Lucas '63

    Lucas & Lewellen

    Co-founder of the historic Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, pioneering Californian wine grape grower Louis Lucas ’63, was a walk-on in... read more

    Louis Lucas

    Louis Lucas '63

    Lucas & Lewellen

    Co-founder of the historic Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, pioneering Californian wine grape grower Louis Lucas ’63, was a walk-on in football and track, and Monogram winner in track. Santa Barbara County is one of the world’s premier Pinot Noir grape growing regions. Hand harvesting and the judicious blending of several different Pinot Noir clones produced a wine with aromas and flavors of dried cherries, rose petals, and a hint of dark chocolate with balanced acidity.

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  • Auburnjames

    Matt and Marie Ospeck (Notre Dame Parents)

    AuburnJames

    Matt Ospeck paid homage to his family’s Midwestern agricultural and winemaking roots when in 2005, he and his sister launched... read more

    Auburnjames

    Matt and Marie Ospeck (Notre Dame Parents)

    AuburnJames

    Matt Ospeck paid homage to his family’s Midwestern agricultural and winemaking roots when in 2005, he and his sister launched their “Napa Valley wine project.” It evolved into the founding of AuburnJames Winery and Tasting Cottage located in the heart of

    Napa Valley on the famed Silverado Trail in Saint Helena, CA. Matt and his wife Marie are parents of Erin Ospeck ’21 and Ellie Ospeck ’24.

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  • Rick Mirer

    Rick Mirer '93

    Play Like A Champion Today

    You might think there isn’t a whole lot in common between athletics and wine, but we think the two go... read more

    Rick Mirer

    Rick Mirer '93

    Play Like A Champion Today

    You might think there isn’t a whole lot in common between athletics and wine, but we think the two go hand-in-hand. There is passion, teamwork, discipline, dedication, and of course victory. From scoring the game-winning touchdown to getting the honor of a 100 point wine from Robert Parker, world-class athletes and world-class winemaking share a lot of these wonderful qualities with the constant quest to be the best. From the locker room, vineyard, tailgate or office we hope you embody the Play Like A Champion Today mindset. 

    In our quest to find the right soul of our wine, we got in touch with World Class Winemaker, Jean Hoefliger. Jean Hoefliger is a man with a quixotic mission: He is inspired and driven by the quest for creative perfection while knowing full well that it can never be achieved. An artisan who has always been motivated to push the envelope, he relies on a commitment to constant scientific research matched by an open-minded, entrepreneurial creativity.

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Vintners in the ND Family