His winery, Mario Perelli-Minetti in Rutherford, produces just a few thousand cases a year. It was started in 1979, after Mario, who has a law degree from Stanford, retired as longtime general manager of the California Wine Association.  At 95, Perelli-Minetti is one of a dying breed: wine pioneers, whose fathers and grandfathers (if not grandmothers), through sweat, sacrifice and at great personal cost, made the California wine industry what it is today.

History
Family tradition. We have been in the business of making fine wine since the early fifteen hundreds. Of course, previous to 1901 our winemaking heritage took place in Italy. But this is no idle pastime. For the last 100 years we have been making wine in California. Now both William Harrison and Mario Perelli-Minetti (William's uncle) continue the family tradition in the Napa Valley.

Below is the picture of our patriarch Antonio Perelli-Minetti ( in the white shirt ) his brothers, and children. The picture shows the family winery in Healdsburg, California at or around 1910. Antonio immigrated from Italy in 1901 and was the the first winemaker in California whom held a winemaking degree. He is considered to be one of the important figures in California winemaking heritage. His daughter Conchita Perelli-Minetti had a son named William Harrison, and the torch was passed.

William Harrison grew up at his grandfather's winery in the San Joaquin Valley. After earning a Bachelors degree at the University of Santa Clara, and an MBA at U.C. Berkeley, he served for two years as an Armor Officer in the First Infantry Division.