There’s an aura of anachronism to be found at Trombetta Family Wines. The small-batch winery, nestled in the middle of a quiet Forestville neighborhood, evokes a relic of a bygone era in Sonoma County. Trombetta Family Wines is situated on a former apple farm known as Nolan Ranch. The Trombettas purchased the property in 1989, with a half dozen dying apple trees still on site.
Husband-and-wife co-founders, Roger Stancliff and Rickey Trombetta started making wine out of the family home in the 1980s, with help from family friends and Sonoma County vineyard owners Carmine Indindoli and Paul Hobbs. The couple enrolled in classes at the Santa Rosa Junior College and the University of California, Davis to “learn the basics so our wine didn’t turn into vinegar,” as Trombetta says. She grew up in Sonoma County, witnessing dramatic changes to the local wine industry during that time. “When you look back in the 1950s and 1960s, it was all family-run. It wasn’t about trying to monopolize the market. The family passed the operation down from one generation to the next,” says Trombetta. “It used to be from father to son, and now we’re seeing father or mother to daughter. We’re seeing more women in winemaking.”
One of those women is the couple’s daughter, Trombetta winemaker Erica Stancliff. “I grew up helping my mother cook elaborate dishes and it developed my palate at an early age,” says Stancliff. During a dinner party at the age of 10, Stancliff impressed family and friends with her ability to distinguish each tasting note in a glass of wine by smell alone. Stancliff earned a degree in viticulture and enology at California State University, Fresno and has gone on to consult for various wineries in the area.
A staunch advocate for the region’s unique appellations, Stancliff works to highlight the intrinsic qualities of grapes sourced from each Sonoma County AVA. She is currently a board member of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance, she and her mother both served in the role of president at different intervals in the past. The two played a vital role in securing the designation of Petaluma Gap as an AVA. “It’s easy to make gold when you have gold coming into the winery. Having a relationship with growers and starting with really good grapes is key,” says Stancliff. “I want to provide a sense of place with Trombetta wines. Our wines are also very much aimed at food. Being an Italian family, food is important to us and I’m always thinking about how the wine will balance out and enhance food.”
A visit to Trombetta Family Wines highlights the family’s passion for food. Trombetta grows a delicious medley of fruits and vegetables on the property, which she incorporates into the wine-and-food pairing menu. The winery also hosts pizza and wine events for guests, and sources bread and cheeses for charcuterie down the road from the Forestville bakery Nightingale Breads.
The family’s Italian heritage is featured prominently in the winery’s operations—from its namesake to its wine club—which is referred to as La Famiglia or “The Family” in Italian. Trombetta hosts an annual event for members of La Famiglia at its hobby vineyard of Pinot Noir that jump-started its rose program. “We let members come to the property during harvest to pick grapes and learn hands-on about the winemaking process on-site,” says Trombetta.
Trombetta takes pride in the level of hands-on intimacy offered at the winery, an ode to yesteryear Sonoma County of quaint family-run farms and vineyards. The Trombetta family is involved in every facet of the operation, from sourcing the grapes to pouring the wines for guests. “We want it to be authentic and real,” says Trombetta.
The winery produces Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rose of Pinot Noir. However, Stancliff would like to see Trombetta produce a Bordeaux blend. “I’d like to create it using grapes from the northern area of Sonoma County,” says Stancliff. “It would be something of a tribute to our close family friend and my mentor, Paul Hobbs.”
At A Glance
Hours: Appointment Only 
Tasting Fees: $50 per person for five wines paired with small bites
Wines Currently offered: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rose of Pinot Noir
Appointment necessary: Yes
Picnics: No
Pets: No
Did you know? The family name of Trombetta, which translates to trumpet in Italian, was chosen as the name of the winery over the husband’s name of Stancliff. “We all thought Trombetta would look nicer on a label,” says Trombetta.
