Brutocao Family
Vineyard Heritage
Brutocao Family Vineyard Heritage is a tale of two families who combined their passion and expertise to establish one of Mendocino County’s most notable wineries. In 1910, the Brutocao family brought with them a love for wine when they emigrated from Treviso, Italy (a small town near Venice). Len Brutocao met Martha Bliss while attending the University of California, Berkeley. Martha’s father, Irv, had been farming in Mendocino since 1943. After Len and Martha married, the families joined forces and continued to sell their grapes to well-known Sonoma and Napa wineries for many years before starting to make their own wine in 1980. They selected the Lion of St. Mark as their symbol of family tradition and quality. The heart of that quality is in their land: over 400 acres of vineyards in Hopland and 12.5 acres of Pinot Noir in Anderson Valley.
In the early 90’s, Len and Martha’s three sons took on individual roles in the family business. David, as Director of Winemaking Operations, ensures the family’s vision is carried out. Len, as Director of Vineyard Operations, oversees the cultivation of the land from new plantings to grape harvest. Our vineyard plantings have reached nearly 400 acres, and through out that growth, we have implemented important sustainability practices to ensure healthy land and quality grapes. Their youngest brother, Steve, took over as CEO in 2010 after many years of experience in wine marketing and sales. Steve has helped grow Brutocao’s presence in markets accross the country as well as internationally. The three brothers carry on the values and traditions instilled in them through their family heritage to produce world class estate wines from their Mendocino ranches.
Fourth generation family, Kevin is now involved in carrying on the family’s legacy. Kevin grew up working for his father, Len, in the vineyards. He manages the marketing of our family brands as well as runs our website and online store. Many other members of the family help out when and where needed, and they can be found at winery events as well as assisting with wine quality control.