John Bargetto, Founder and Director of Winemaking

Meet John Bargetto

John Bargetto is part of the fourth generation of the Bargetto Family which has been involved with winemaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains since 1889. John grew up working in the family winery from an early age.

While in college, he decided to dedicate his life to winemaking. In 1984 he graduated from the University of California, Davis with a degree in Enology and with a minor in European History. Shortly thereafter, John took over the reins as winemaker at Bargetto Winery. John invited world famous winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff to join the efforts consulting. Together they worked to improve quality on all Bargetto wines, and in 1985 initiated the ultra-premium Pinot Noir program at the winery.  

Knowing the family winery tradition would benefit from some marketing in order to thrive, John returned to graduate school and earned an MBA from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Upon graduating, his eyes were opened to the possibility of selling wines across the county. For 20 years John travelled to the Midwest and South regions in the U.S. and Canada and educated the wine trade and wine lovers on the superior quality of wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains (SCM) and Bargetto Winery. 

Today, two of John's three adult children have received degrees in enology at the university level and he hopes someday they will join him in the family business.