Delicato Family Vineyards, Manteca

Delicato Family Vineyards has produced numerous award-winning California wines.

A trip to California wouldn’t be complete without a stop at one of the state’s award-winning vineyards. Delicato began when a young Italian immigrant, Gaspare Indelicato, settled in the agriculturally rich San Joaquin Delta and purchased an old dairy farm. Grapes were planted on the open land and sold to East Coast winemakers. Sales became difficult after the Prohibition ended and Indelicato decided to sell the farm’s production in another form — wine.

The winery began with a production of 3,451 gallons sold locally. Today, Delicato is a successful modern winery with national and international distribution. A total of 250 employees work at Delicato, which includes more than 12,000 acres of production. It is owned by the heirs of Gaspare, with the third generation of Indelicatos actively producing fine wines. For several years in a row, Delicato has been included in the “Top 100 Fruit Growers” list by the American Fruit Growers Association. The family is also active in a variety of charity and civic organizations. Attendees will tour the Delicato vineyards and then enjoy a trip to the tasting room.

The stop at Delicato Family Vineyards included time for shopping in their gift shop.