Derek Delfino is the vineyard manager at Edio Vineyards, which he co-owns with his two siblings. All graduating from Cal Poly SLO with enology and agriculture degrees, the trio of 4th generation farmers, who are also members of the Pechanga tribe, pooled their resources and purchased their family's Delfino Farms, shifting the focus to crafting serious Alpine wines that honor their land and grandfather Edio's legacy.
We will always be huge advocates of the benefits that growing wine grapes at higher elevations brings. My siblings and I began our wine careers in locations like the central coast or Sonoma and after growing at sites that are near sea level it was easier to see the positive effects of growing at higher elevations.