Hecker Pass winery up for sale after 17 years of ownership
By Jessica thy Nguyen Special to the Dispatch
Gilroy – An award-winning Hecker Pass winery has been put on the market after 17 years of devoted ownership by David and Valerie Vanni.
Their son Vic Vanni is the broker in charge of selling Solis Winery. He said his parents’ decision has nothing to do with the years of headache they faced trying to obtain county permission to build a new tasting room and reception area.
“We were hoping to complete the project, but it wasn’t a part of the decision,” Valerie Vanni said from where the couple is vacationing.
Vanni said his parents always wanted to travel after devoting so much time to the business.
“He’s done all he’s wanted to do now,” he said.
“The winery has accomplished an awful lot in the last 17 years that he’s owned it,” he said. “As far as I know, they’d like to get a place in Italy and spend some time during the year living there.”
Solis was put on the market Thursday for $4 million and Vic Vanni said there was already one person who had shown some interest.
Vanni’s parents spent the last few years battling with Santa Clara County planners to expand and modernize their facility, located on Hecker Pass Highway in Gilroy.
The Vannis fist petitioned the county in March 2001 with plans to tear down their existing 2,500-square-foot building and replace it with a 4,000-square-foot building for wine tasting, receptions and corporate events.
The county stalled the project by delaying permit approvals and demanding repairs to various parts of the facility. The list of changes the Vannis had to make included removing a driveway, upgrading their septic system, and erecting a 46,000-gallon water tank.
The family spent more than $250,000 in the process, and every time they thought they were finished, county planners ordered more work.
He said his father is still pressing forward with the plans for the new wine tasting room because it would be a beneficial addition to the winery.
The Vannis faced a two-part process of approval with the county since last October when the planning department finally approved their permit. The building department permit was finally approved and now they are just waiting to get it from the county to hand over to the new owners.
The building department has approved the plans for the new tasting room and in 60 days the Vannis are supposed to have the permit, he said.
For the moment, the fate of the winery employees is uncertain, including that of Michael Vanni, Vic’s brother and the winery’s production manager.
The winery won the prestigious “Best of Class” award for its 2002 Syrah at the Los Angeles County Fair “Wines of the World Competition.”
The event was held from May 17 to 19 and showcased 3,785 wines from 982 wineries from across the globe. Solis won two gold medals, one for its 2001 Reserve Merlot and for its 2002 Santa Clara Valley Syrah. The Syrah went on to the next round and beat out 62 other gold medal winners to be named “Best of Class.”
