Being a Small Wine Producer in a Big Wine Industry State–Pietro Buttitta

Pietro Buittitta is the sole proprietor of Prima Materia Winery, with a 12-acre vineyard in Lake County and a wine shop in Oakland. He will talk about the challenges of running both parts of his operation. His vineyard philosophy is to be gentle, encourage independence, treat the vines with wine in mind while respecting their individual nature. Less technology is often better, and vigilance is better than oak or additives.

Pietro has a long history in the culinary and viticultural world, working in his grandfather’s vineyard as a boy, later working in some of the best restaurants in Portland, and then coming home and starting his winery, Prima Materia, in 2007.

At Prima Materia, he has specialized in growing Italian varietals, such as Vermentino, Nebbiolo and Aglianico, with a minimalist approach to treating the vineyard and the wines. Pietro is a constant presence in his vineyard, working on his vines throughout the growing season, from pruning to canopy management to harvest. Pietro takes the same personal hands-on approach to the winemaking, from hauling the grapes from the field to the crushing, and then all the way through the process, to hand-labeling the bottles. He was recently featured in a story by the San Francisco Chronicle.