Whenever there’s a helicopter buzzing through the skies above the Santa Lucia Highlands, those in the know realize it’s just Ray Franscioni commuting to one of his vineyards. A third-generation Salinas Valley row crop farmer of Swiss-Italian descent — like many in the region — Franscioni added vineyards to his holdings in the early 1990s. He now tends 1,500 acres of vines set across five properties in the Santa Lucia Highlands and another planting in the warmer Paicines area south of Hollister.
Franscioni decided to start making his own wine in 2003 under the RF Wines label and then founded Puma Road Winery, which is about five miles down River Road. The Pessagno property began as Cloninger Cellars in 1988, but Steve Pessagno, an experienced vintner who’d worked at Jekel and Lockwood vineyards, took over in 1999. Following Pessagno’s sudden death in 2013 at age 55 — after which his family was no longer interested in keeping the winery — Franscioni moved his winemaking there in and in 2015 assumed ownership.
The tasting room occupies a quaint former cottage that has been opened up into a large, barn-like room with a long wooden bar. The high-ceilinged space, which is decorated with images of the vineyards and Salinas Valley sunsets as well as an old wine press and ancient oak tree, can fit 250 people. Televisions often show sports or news.
There’s also a shaded patio with picnic tables, barrel-stave rocking chairs and views of the duck decoy-loaded pond, a bucolic scene framed by a windmill in the background.. There’s a small stage for musical entertainment or weddings, and a wood-fired barbecue, where Franscioni himself can often be found grilling up lunch for wine club members.
WHAT TO TRY: Franscioni and his daughter, Teresa, are particularly excited about a forthcoming sparkling wine project, but the regular $15 flight menu of five wines typically features Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and then a smattering of reds, including the Due, Tre, and Quattro Bordeaux grape-based premium blends from the Paicines vines. There’s also Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Pinot Gris, and Riesling, depending on what’s opened when you arrive.
INSIDE INFO: Franscioni has been known to break out the paella pan on special weekends. An adjacent cottage is also available to rent via AirBnB