Award Recognizes That Each Family Has Continuously Farmed Local Land for More Than 100 Years
Multiple generations of eleven longtime Sonoma County farming families, all winegrape growers today, gathered to be recognized as the newest members of the “Century Club.” The honor recognizes families who have continuously farmed their family’s land for more than one hundred years.
The 2025 recipients join twenty-two other local farming families who were recognized last year in the first class of the Century Club. Sonoma County Winegrowers created the Century Club to mark the unique legacies of farm families in the region. Each member family of the Century Club is a testament to the strength and adaptability required to farm.
“We are thrilled to welcome more families to the Century Club and to honor each new member today,” said Karissa Kruse, President and CEO of Sonoma County Winegrowers. She added, “Farming is a tough business and celebrating over 1,400 years of combined farming legacy speaks to the deep stewardship, family dedication and sheer tenacity that define our winegrowing region. These families embody the very DNA of Sonoma County agriculture, and this recognition has been well earned.”
The award ceremony also marked the unveiling of a new “Century Club Award,” a distinctive emblem that can be placed on the back labels of wines sourced from Century Club vineyards. Its presence on a bottle will help consumers recognize and appreciate the remarkable family farming heritage behind the wine they are enjoying.
In addition to the new distinctive emblem, each Century Club family received commemorative pins, special recognition signs to place on their property and a Congressional certificate from U.S. House Representative, Mike Thompson.
“Congratulations to this year’s newest Century Club members! To be recognized as a member of the Century Club is a great honor and captures the essence of Sonoma County,” said Congressman Thompson. He added, “Many of our local farming families have been operating for generations, and the families recognized today for over 100 years of farming remind us just how important it is that we protect and preserve our agricultural heritage.”
The 2025 Century Club families, the name of their farming operation and the year each family began farming in Sonoma County are:
- Shepard Family, Jack London Ranch, began farming in 1905
- Bartolomei Family, Bartolomei Vineyard, began farming in 1915
- Cadd Family, Cadd Ranch, began farming in 1910
- Cameron Family, Cameron Ranch, began farming in 1853
- Chenoweth Family, Chenoweth Vineyards, began farming in 1852
- Guadagni Family, Guadagni Family Wines, began farming in 1898
- Mazzoni Family, Mazzoni Vineyards & Zialena Winery, began farming in 1897
- Norton Family, Marchand Vineyard, began farming in 1917
- Pagani Family, Pagani Family Ranch, began farming in 1886
- Pastori Family, Pastori Vineyards & Winery, began farming in 1914
- Rotlisberger Family, Rotlisberger Ranch, began farming in 1913