After falling in love with the Santa Ynez Valley, Ron and Nancy Piazza looked for a place to retreat from the city and call home for almost 30 years. They longed to have a ranch to share their love of the land with their family and friends. When they found what is now called Bella Vista Vineyard in Ballard Canyon they immediately knew it was home.
Living among the vines and with sweeping views of Ballard Canyon, Ron and Nancy decided to begin Piazza Family Wines in 2018. With the production facility, just a short walk down a well-trodden dirt path they handcrafted the first vintage from their estate. Winemaker, Gretchen Voelcker, knows the importance of the vines and spends the entirety of the year working with Vineyard Manager, Ruben Solorzano to grow grapes that allow for natural wines to be made using minimal intervention.
A successful restaurateur, Ron Piazza is a gardener at heart. He likes to plant seeds, grow something, and see the results. Every so often, Ron takes a step back, brushes the dirt off his jeans, and admires what he has built. “We planted that,” he thinks to himself, the work his greatest reward. Nancy, always working by his side, is the heart of the ranch. Happiest when she loses track of time and the outside world, she is quick with a helping hand. The whole Piazza team can typically find her bringing lunch, checking on the animals, and visiting with neighbors.
Originally hailing from Queens, New York, Ron is proud of his rich Italian heritage, from which his Grandfather Dominic handed down a passion for life and gardening. Ron remembers Sunday family dinners, wine paired with Dominic's stories, jokes, and subtle wisdom. Inspired by those recollections, Ron's focus is on the meals that families share and the "handcrafted" character within their wines. With decades of hard work under his belt, Ron and his wife Nancy are now planting the seeds and growing their own family roots, creating the wine to share with you and yours.
From organic farming to natural winemaking, sustainability is something the Piazzas take to heart. With Bella Vista Vineyard, they set out to make natural wines with minimal interference. They are planting the seeds and growing a legacy winery for their five children and multiple grandchildren, family the emphasis in the Piazza Family Wines. With that in mind, they work together to make wine meant to be shared.