the Vine
Bev Stenehjem
Bev Stenehjem is a local wine enthusiast, author and free-
lance writer focused on the wineries of Santa Clara Valley.
Bev wrote “The Wineries of Santa Clara Valley,” a historical
photo book published by Arcadia Publishing in 2015.
Solis Winery
A
long with being one of Santa Clara Valley’s most
popular wineries, Solis Winery is also one of Santa
Clara Valley’s most historic, celebrating over 100
years of winemaking. The winery was founded in 1917 by
Alfonso Bertero, an Italian immigrant, who became a bootleg-
ger during Prohibition. After many years of Bertero family
ownership, the winery was sold to David and Valerie Vanni in
1989 who eventually passed the winery into the hands of their
sons, Vic and Michael. Solis Winery produces a wide range of
award-winning wines and specializes in rich red blends and
Italian varietals. Their wildly popular events include Syrah
and Sausage, Cigars Under the Stars, and gourmet
winemaker dinners.
Do you have a degree in winemaking?
If not, how did you learn to make wine?
I do not but both my brother and I have agricultural degrees from Cal Poly.
Michael learned to make wine as an apprentice and then through years of
experience.
Vic and Michael Vanni
How did you and your brother, Michael, decide to
split up the responsibilities of running the winery?
I was still in my second year of college at Cal Poly where I was studying
agriculture business. Upon graduation, the plan was for me to join my
family’s cut fl ower business.
How has owning a winery with over a
100 years of history behind it, impacted your business?
Having such an interesting history as we do gives us a little bit of notoriety
and there is some pride in that. I believe that having longevity is important
and clearly there is an established quality of our vineyard that has proven
resilient over the many years.
Did you always know you would take over the family business
or did you ever have other aspirations?
I never thought I would take over the winery. I was in commercial real
estate for thirteen years. It was only in 2007 when my parents decided to
retire and sell that my brother, Michael and I decided to take it over.
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
Did you follow the strategic vision that your parents had
set out for the winery or did you make any major changes?
We’ve slowly been making small changes along the way over the last
twelve years. Most of the changes have been aesthetic to enhance the
wine tasting experience. We extended the patio and lawn area, added
gazebos and remodeled the tasting room to take advantage of the sur-
rounding views. But the winemaking has pretty much stayed the same.
Your winery offers a diverse selection of red, white, rose and
dessert wines, with all of your reds being gold-medal winners.
What has been your winemaking philosophy?
Michael’s philosophy is that of a minimalist. He tinkers as little as possible
with the wine. He believes that if you produce good grapes you can
produce good wine.
august/september 2019
gmhtoday.com
Where were you and what were you doing when
your parents purchased Solis Winery in 1989?
It was a natural fi t for both of us – Michael makes the wine and I take
care of the business side of the winery. It was a natural fi t for both of us.
Michael had already been here doing vineyard management and wine
making. And with my education and background in fi nance, it was a
perfect separation of duties.