"Pete" Seghesio ran his family's 110-year-old Seghesio Winery in Healdsburg for three decades, a time in which he witnessed the Alexander Valley become one of the most prestigious wine-growing regions in the world.

Born in rural Sonoma County on April 27, 1919 to Italian immigrant parents, Seghesio included among his friends many of the giants of the California wine industry, including Julio Gallo, Louis Martini and brothers Robert and Peter Mondavi.

Before serving in the Army during World War II, Seghesio graduated from the College of Agriculture at the University of California, Davis, where he studied under world-renowned wine expert Maynard Amerine.

Wine Spectator
Monday, October 04, 2004 

Eugenio Pio "Pete" Seghesio, patriarch of one of Sonoma County's best-known wine families, died Sept. 30 at a hospital in Santa Rosa, Calif., after a long illness. He was 85.

Seghesio was the youngest and last surviving child of Italian immigrants Angela and Eduardo Seghesio, the founders of Seghesio Family Vineyards. He had been in declining health in recent months, suffering from congestive heart failure and several strokes.

"He was a tough son of a gun," Pete Seghesio Jr., now general manager of the winery, said of his father. "I remember going with him on cold calls to Julio Gallo. He didn't have an appointment. We just showed up, and we always got to see him. He was a pisser, but he loved this business."

Seghesio's career in the wine business spanned six decades. He was born on April 27, 1919, on the family's home ranch near Geyserville, in an area that locals at the time called Chianti. He joined the family winery in 1941, before leaving to fight in World War II, and was president from 1965 to 1995, presiding over much of the winery's transition from a generic bulk producer to the premium producer of Zinfandel that it is today. The family still farms some of the oldest Zinfandel vineyards in California.

"He loved Zinfandel. He called it the 'boss grape,'" his son said.

Evolving with the times was not always easy for the conservative Seghesio. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the third generation -- including winemaker Ted Seghesio, Seghesio's nephew -- pushed for drastic change, buying new equipment, improving winemaking, cutting production and concentrating the brand primarily on Zinfandel.

It was a risky move but ultimately placed Seghesio on the top rung of Sonoma County winemaking.

"He couldn't believe sometimes that we were selling wine above $10 a bottle and were successful," Seghesio Jr. said. Ultimately, the elder Seghesio came around to the idea.

Seghesio was also active in the Wine Institute, a trade organization, serving as a director from 1948 until 1972.

Seghesio is also survived by his wife of 48 years, Rachel Ann, his daughter Amy Camille Seghesio and two grandsons.  --Tim Fish

Wine Spectator Online | Daily Wine News | Longtime Sonoma Vintner Pete Seghesio Dies at 85
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Patriarch of the Seghesio winemaking family dies at 85
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