What started out as a misguided hobby from a self-taught enologist has evolved into an adventure for the whole family. Our two daughters have learned the value of hard work by spending time in our vineyard weeding and harvesting. These hours spent working next to their father, have given them a sense of accomplishment by creating a tangible product; something that is rare in today’s American society. Over the years, the girls have also witnessed their father’s obsession with weather forecasts at harvest time and have learned to appreciate Mother Nature’s impact on a vintage.
We call our winery Due Ragazze because it roughly translates to “two little girls” in Italian. The Italian name was inspired by the Italian immigrants who came to California during the Gold Rush era and established some of the first commercial wineries in the El Dorado AVA (American Viticulture Area). These early pioneers were the first to recognize the region’s climate, geography, and geology (what the French refer to as “terror”) as ideal for grape growing and producing fantastic wines.
Jeff Bauman – Partner, Chief Operating Officer
Partner, Chief Operating Officer After spending over two decades entertaining clients for his real job, Jeff has developed an appreciation for wines from all over the world. The more he studied the topic, the greater his passion grew for producing a wine he could call his own. In 2006, Jeff and his wife, Ada, moved their family to a property located in the El Dorado AVA that previously had a vineyard, but was torn out by the prior owners. Under the guidance of his neighbor Lance Johnson, Jeff and his family re-planted the vineyard and started their journey as wine growers. Despite a few setbacks and an underestimation of the work it takes to produce agriculture, Jeff has developed an even greater appreciation for what it takes to produce a great bottle of wine.
Uncle Jack – Partner, Chief Wisdom Officer
Uncle Jack has always enjoyed wine, but he credits his time studying at the Culinary and Hospitality Institute of Chicago for turning him into a true oenophile. He began to understand the importance of what wines compliment certain menus and how a wine could enhance the flavor of a particular food. Uncle Jack’s culinary experience has been essential for fulfilling our vision of crafting a food friendly bottle of wine. In addition to this, we rely on him to be the voice of reason for our daily operation.
Jorden Mingle – Winemaker
Jorden has been instrumental in fulfilling our vision of creating food-friendly, high quality wines. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Physiology, Jorden moved back home to the Placerville area where he started his career working in the vineyards of a small local grape grower. A short time later, Jorden transitioned from farming to the wine production side of the business. Over the years, he honed his skills as a winemaker and has since become recognized as one of the area’s most promising young winemakers. His appreciation for the region’s terroir and passion for making wine that showcases our fruit, have made him a perfect fit for our winery.