Wine With Passion
BY MICHELLE MACHADO
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Lodi winery Vino Con Brio, or “Wine With Passion,” seems aptly named. Its entrepreneurial seed and that of sister enterprise Amorosa Inn & Gardens has grown in fertile ground: the interests and strengths of the Matson family.
Mike and Renae Matson, business and marriage partners for more than 30 years, acquired their second daughter and their first vineyard in 1978.
“It was a family joke. My mom got her baby – me – and my dad got his baby, the vineyard,” said daughter Anne Khasigian, the winery’s general manager.
Mike Matson’s botany-focused bachelor’s degree proved an invaluable asset. “His real forte is selecting varietals, and even particular clones of varietals, that grow well here,” Khasigian said.
The 35-acre Locust Tree Vineyard is planted to old vine zinfandel on St.
George rootstock. Thirteen more varietals – some unique, including pinotage and aglianico – are planted in the 18-acre Amorosa Vineyard, which surrounds Amorosa Inn & Gardens. The event center annually hosts more than a dozen weddings.
The inn began as a dilapidated, 1970s home. “My dad and I just wanted to knock it down and plant vineyards over it. But my mom had this vision of a winemaker’s home,” Khasigian said. Renae Matson directed the extensive remodel, retaining the 3,500-square-foot home’s “good bones” – structural components that included spacious living areas and high, slanted ceilings.
The inn opened in 2003 with her concept realized. Living areas are painted in warm earth tones; antique and contemporary furnishings mix the rustic and refined; and wine-themed art lines the walls. A bank of windows overlooks a serene pond surrounded by trees. Some of the four color-themed guest rooms feature fireplaces; all have patios.
That same year, Khasigian left her job as a financial institution underwriter and joined the winery staff. She applies her business sense to tasks ranging from production to sales for the operation, whose off-site winery now produces 5,000 cases of estate-bottled wines along with private label and bulk wines.
All its grapes are certified under The Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing, a comprehensive approach to growing wine grapes and making wine that supports biodiversity – air, soil and water quality – and employee well-being.
In 2004, the Matsons converted a horse barn into a small tasting room, now a private space for wine club members.
A corral subsequently was made into a larger tasting room and gift shop, where visitors can sample wine at a traditional bar or in a living-room-like sitting area.
“It’s a jewel in our backyard,” tasting room guest Tracy Bento, of Elk Grove, said.
Mike and Renae Matson, business and marriage partners for more than 30 years, acquired their second daughter and their first vineyard in 1978.
“It was a family joke. My mom got her baby – me – and my dad got his baby, the vineyard,” said daughter Anne Khasigian, the winery’s general manager.
Mike Matson’s botany-focused bachelor’s degree proved an invaluable asset. “His real forte is selecting varietals, and even particular clones of varietals, that grow well here,” Khasigian said.
The 35-acre Locust Tree Vineyard is planted to old vine zinfandel on St.
George rootstock. Thirteen more varietals – some unique, including pinotage and aglianico – are planted in the 18-acre Amorosa Vineyard, which surrounds Amorosa Inn & Gardens. The event center annually hosts more than a dozen weddings.
The inn began as a dilapidated, 1970s home. “My dad and I just wanted to knock it down and plant vineyards over it. But my mom had this vision of a winemaker’s home,” Khasigian said. Renae Matson directed the extensive remodel, retaining the 3,500-square-foot home’s “good bones” – structural components that included spacious living areas and high, slanted ceilings.
The inn opened in 2003 with her concept realized. Living areas are painted in warm earth tones; antique and contemporary furnishings mix the rustic and refined; and wine-themed art lines the walls. A bank of windows overlooks a serene pond surrounded by trees. Some of the four color-themed guest rooms feature fireplaces; all have patios.
That same year, Khasigian left her job as a financial institution underwriter and joined the winery staff. She applies her business sense to tasks ranging from production to sales for the operation, whose off-site winery now produces 5,000 cases of estate-bottled wines along with private label and bulk wines.
All its grapes are certified under The Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing, a comprehensive approach to growing wine grapes and making wine that supports biodiversity – air, soil and water quality – and employee well-being.
In 2004, the Matsons converted a horse barn into a small tasting room, now a private space for wine club members.
A corral subsequently was made into a larger tasting room and gift shop, where visitors can sample wine at a traditional bar or in a living-room-like sitting area.
“It’s a jewel in our backyard,” tasting room guest Tracy Bento, of Elk Grove, said.