Ponzi Vineyards, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Dick and Nancy Ponzi moved their young family to the Willamette Valley in the late 1960s with a spirit of adventure and a passion for making world class Pinot Noir. After many research trips to Burgundy and an extensive search for the ideal location, they purchased 20 acres on a small farm just southwest of Portland. Oregon. It was a daring risk at the time, the Pacific Northwest was not thought to be a place to grow Pinot Noir, but Dick and Nancy realized the Northern Willamette Valley's climate was ideal for cool climate varieties. Pinot Noir cuttings were planted, and in 1970 Ponzi Vineyards was founded.

Parallel Estate, Napa Valley, California

In its first few years, Parallel Napa Valley has grown to be one of the most exciting new Napa mountainside wineries in California. Parallel Napa Valley wines are the result of a collaboration of eight close friends and two of the top winemaking professionals in the industry today: Philippe Melka, who was named the 2005 Winemaker of the Year by Food & Wine magazine, and highly acclaimed Vineyard Manager Jim Barbour of Barbour Vineyards. Philippe and Jim are responsible for crafting some of the most sought-after wines in Napa Valley. The inaugural 2003 Parallel Cabernet Sauvignon marked the first time these masters had collaborated to create such an affordable wine. While this team continues to produce increasingly attractive vintages of Parallel, we have been able to maintain a very attractive price for Parallel Napa Valley. Parallel is also the story of parallel lives and friendships that have unfolded over the past 30 years. That circle of friendship now encompasses two special places: the mountains of Park City, Utah, where the four couples developed their friendship, and the hillside vineyards of Napa Valley, where they now pursue their common dream. All successful entrepreneurs in their own right, the Parallel partners love a challenge and relish the chance to participate hands-on. As such, they have been fully involved in every aspect of creating Parallel, from the planting of the first vine to sampling the first sip of each new vintage. It's this energy and synergy that makes Parallel Wines so special.

Ottimino, Russian river valley, Sonoma, California

Ottimino's land is a land of dreams. When he came to America in 1913, "Little Eight," so called because he was the last of eight children and the smallest, had big ambitions. He made his home on a beautiful ridge above Green Valley and forged a life on new soil. He planted the land, especially proud of the vines that nurtured the grapes made into wine for his family's table. Ottimino became a favorite in the area, and always spoke proudly of his vines. Eventually Ottimino's time came to pass, as all things must. But along the way one of the friends he made was Brad Alper, who had a dream similar to Ottimino's. Brad's first grapes grew as Ottimino's time was coming to an end, and the legacy was passed on.