Paoletti Vineyards is owned by Gianni Paoletti, who moved to Los Angeles from his native Italy as a young man to work as a chef. Born in Venice, he trained as a chef before taking cooking jobs in England and Germany. By 1964 he was cooking in Hollywood and in 1972 he opened his first Los Angeles restaurant. His second is the famous Peppone in Brentwood. Also in the 1970s he started traveling to Napa because of his interest in wine, and in 1989 he bought the first few acres of what is now a 36-acre property. The debut release was in 1994. Gianni and his wife Lilia commute between Los Angeles and Napa, and they make primarily reds, including some that are unusual for Napa, such as Nero d’Avola. A flagship wine is La Forza, a blend of mostly Sangiovese with usually about 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.