Mangels Vineyards
Get the Dirt from winemaker Gina Richmond
“We love that we get to work with many different varieties. The Suisun Valley is still an upcoming wine-growing area that has a lot of similarities to the Napa region, but with the openness to experimentation.”
What was your first vintage year? 2007
How many cases do you make per vintage? About 500-1000.
Do you have a Tasting Room? Yes. We are open Friday-Sunday from 12-5pm. No appointment necessary.
What wine made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery?
No particular grape. I was inspired by my grandfather’s home-winemaking and eventually got an enology degree from Fresno State.
What varietals do you work with?
We make quite a few varieties including Tempranillo and Pinot Grigio, but our top ones are Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Sirah.
What vineyards do you source from?
We are 100% estate in the Suisun Valley, just east of Napa Valley. We chose the vineyard because both families who own the winery have been farming in the region since the mid-1800s and are familiar with the land.
What type of oak treatment do you use?
We use oak chips because our wines are priced very affordably.
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
We love that we get to work with many different varieties. The Suisun Valley is still an upcoming wine-growing area that has a lot of similarities to the Napa region, but with the openness to experimentation.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
Our winery is named after our business partner - Gary Mangels. The diamond on the label is their cattle brand, as he and his father are ranchers as well as grape growers. His grandfather Claus Mangels was the original property owner and a major wine producer both before and after prohibition. His Solano Winery was the 42nd bonded winery in CA after prohibition was repealed. Claus was selling between 450,000-500,000 gallons of wine before he sold the winery in 1950. My grandfather was also a fruit and vegetable grower who arrived to the region from Italy in the late 1890s. There is a LOT of history in both our families as farmers and winemakers.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
I do wish that my college education had a few sales and marketing classes. You can have the greatest wine in the world, but if people don’t know about it, how will you ever sell it?
Most importantly, what's so great about being small? What can you do as a small winemaker, that wouldn't be possible for larger wineries?
I feel like I do get to experiment more than a larger winery that has to make production numbers and goals. We have more freedom to try things and make mistakes.
If you could choose another wine region to work in, what would it be? If I went somewhere else, it would probably be Mendocino county.
For more information about Mangels Vineyards, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram.