Our Family History
Michael’s wine roots trace back to the late 1800’s in Piedmont, Italy where his great grandfather first planted vines. After traveling to America in the early-mid 1900’s, Michael’s grandfather moved to Sonoma where he planted 35 acres of Zinfandel in 1948. Some of these original vines still exist today and can be seen at the end of Pozzan Road in Healdsburg, Sonoma County. Michael grew up spending his summers at his grandparent’s vineyard and it is the foundation from which his passions spawned.
As a young adult, Michael became involved in the California wine industry working for several companies focused on imports and distribution. It wasn’t until 1990 that Michael, with the loving support of his wife Mary Ann, left his sales position to follow his dream of producing his own wine. Displaying a keen pallet and a knack for blending, Michael Pozzan released his first vintage in 1991, consisting of 200 cases. Over the years his success grew as he formed stronger relationships with winemaking peers and growers, giving him the edge in producing fine wines from the most competitive region in the country. Now celebrating over 25 years of production, Michael is joined by his two sons, Dante and Matthew Pozzan, as the family winery looks to continue their passion of producing fine wines with balance and personality.
The Family
Michael & Mary Ann Pozzan
Behind every good man is a great woman. Such was the case with Michael and Mary Ann.
Mary Ann Giannini is a Bay Area native whose family was familiar with the Pozzan’s. She motivated Michael to start the winery and the two of them ran every aspect of the business for years. In fact, it wasn’t until their oldest son Dante joined the business that they had another full time employee. As Michael secured grape contracts and made the wine, Mary Ann was busy designing labels and handling administrative duties.
When they were not working at the winery they hit the road selling wine across the country. Today, nothing has changed except having the support of their two sons to carry on the family legacy.
Dante Pozzan
Born Michael Dante, the eldest son goes by his middle name to not be confused with his father.
His journey in wine lead him to first work at Napa Wine Company in Oakville as a cellar hand in high school. After getting a firm grip on the process of winemaking and falling in love with it, he dedicated his career to following in the footsteps of his father. Dante was accepted at Cal Poly State University where he was part of the first class to earn a degree in Wine Marketing & Viticulture. He worked in sales and distribution for several years until finally joining the family business where he holds the title Director of National Sales.
Matthew Pozzan
The youngest of the two brothers, Matthew Joseph always wanted to be part of the wine industry.
He cut his teeth working for companies outside the family to gain the necessary knowledge in order to “bring something to the table” as Michael liked to put it. He worked in retail during his time at Saint Mary’s College of California and upon graduation moved to the Napa Valley to work with wineries. From tasting rooms, to production, and into sales and distribution, Matthew brought a new set of skills that his family was happy to utilize. Matthew works in winemaking and production for the winery.
Kimberly Pozzan
Originally from Auburn, California, Kimberly moved to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly University.
There her wine journey began working in a tasting room until she moved to Napa after graduation to dive head first into the industry. She met her husband, Matthew Pozzan, while working for Shafer Vineyards, managing direct-to-consumer sales, shipping, and assisting with social media. She left to work for Agustin Huneeus, winery owner of Quintessa, Flowers, and Faust (to name a few) as his executive assistant. Having worked for numerous high end Napa wineries, Kimberly was a welcomed addition to Michael Pozzan Winery where she currently works as Operations Manager.
