Topographic map with contour lines and a small, brown building icon in the center.

BALLARD CANYON

BELLA VISTA VINEYARD

Planted in 2001, Bella Vista Vineyard began as a tribute to Syrah, with the Estrella clone laid into the limestone-rich hills of Ballard Canyon. Over the next few years, Grenache, Alban clone Syrah, and what was believed to be a Spanish Mourvèdre clone followed.

A man and woman stand together in a vineyard, smiling and holding glasses of red wine. The man also holds a bottle of wine. The vineyard has lush green grapevines, and rolling hills can be seen in the background on a sunny day.

When Ron and Nancy Piazza purchased the property in 2017, they spent a season walking the vines and watching the land, wondering if it was time to build something of their own.

That quiet observation became the spark for Piazza Family Wines.

The vineyard soon revealed its surprises. In 2018, a letter arrived from the nursery: the supposed Mourvèdre was in fact Graciano—part of a 2,000-acre mix-up across California’s Central Coast. While others tore it out, the Piazzas embraced the discovery. The bright, lively character of Graciano quickly became a signature of Bella Vista.

Vineyard rows on rolling hills with patches of green and brown, under a clear sky.

By 2019, the vineyard expanded to include varietals that tied back to Ron’s Italian roots: Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Today, Bella Vista rises to 1,200 feet in elevation, its nearly pure limestone soils shaping wines with vibrancy, texture, and age-worthy balance.

The limestone here is a gift—it holds water in hot years, drains in wet years, and reflects light to preserve acidity. This natural rhythm gives the vineyard its identity: structured Syrah, expressive Italian varietals, and a rare diversity that showcases the beauty of Ballard Canyon.

BELLA VISTA VINEYARD

A person's hand holds a bunch of ripe dark blue grapes on a vine, with green leaves surrounding them.
A man leaning on a white fence holding a wine glass and a bottle labeled 'PIAZZA' as he looks at two horses, one large and one foal, in a ranch yard with trees and a dirt ground.
A couple walking through a vineyard, holding hands, with the man holding a bottle of wine behind his back, under a clear sky.
Woman with sunglasses and a hat holding a wine bottle standing in a vineyard on a sunny day.
Vineyard with rows of grapevines on a dirt slope, with a mountain range and a clear sky in the background.
A vineyard at sunset with rows of grapevines in the foreground, rolling hills in the background, and a sky painted with pink and blue clouds.
The word 'PIAZZA' written in large white serif font against a black background.

Bella Vista is both our home estate and the heart of our vision—a site that reflects our European sensibilities, celebrates long ripening seasons, and continues to surprise us with every vintage.

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