School's Out Originally Hopland High School from 1922 to 1963, today Brutocao Cellars is known for their family tradition of good friends, good food, and excellent wines.
Brutocao Cellars
Hopland, California
Shortly after the Brutocao family released their first wine in 1980, they chose the Lion of St. Mark, modeled after the lion on top of St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, Italy, as their symbol of family tradition and quality. Today, the family blends their Italian heritage with their 400 acres of vineyards in southern Mendocino County. Winemaker David Brutocao follows time honored, minimally invasive methods to produce complex and memorable wines.
Flavor is paramount with the Brutocaos who believe in producing wine with food in mind. Their restaurant, right next door to the Hopland tasting room, proves this. The Crushed Grape Grille offers a full palette of exquisite food to enjoy. From wood-fired oven pizzas to fresh made pasta, the Crushed Grape features superb Italian cooking and intriguing nightly specials. Guests can dine inside, or on the outdoor deck, overlooking the winery's six authentic championship bocce courts.
The restaurant and tasting room comprise just part of the seven-acre Brutocao CellarsSchoolhouse Plaza, which was originally Hopland High School from 1922 to 1963. Historical photographs on display in the tasting room pay tribute to the school, which was transformed by Leonard Brutocao into a complex dedicated to wine and food. Special events take place here regularly.
The former high school gymnasium was transformed into the Bliss room, a banquet room/conference center for up to 200 guests. A popular spot for spring and summer weddings and fall and winter conferences, the venue recently hosted the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Conference presented by UC-Davis. The building now holds specialty shops and offices on its first floor, and two rooms for conferences and special events on the second floor.
From one table in Italy, to the many tables one finds at Brutocao Cellars today, the Brutocao family tradition of good friends, good food, and excellent wine lives on. It is a tradition they warmly share with everyone who visits Brutocao Cellars.
What to Buy:
Quadriga ClassicItalian blend of Sangiovese/Primitivo/Barbera/Dolcetto $24
Coro MendocinoCollaborative blend of Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Barbera, Syrah $37
Anderson Valley Pinot NoirBlack cherry, fresh earth, smoky oak $26
Zinfandel PortBlack cherry, currant, chocolate spice $34
Contact:
800.433.3689; Fax: 707.744.1046
www.brutocaocellars.com
13500 S. Hwy 101
Hopland, CA 95449
Tasting Room Open Daily 10-5
Getting There:
Hopland Tasting Room
Located at the junction of Hwy 175 and Hwy 101.
Anderson Valley Tasting Room
Located on Hwy 128 just west of Philo; 707.895.2152.
