Remembering Ross Rizzo: Bernardo Winery owner always loved the family business

By: JEFF FRANK - Staff Writer | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 7:45 PM PST ∞

RANCHO BERNARDO -- For Ross Rizzo, the Bernardo Winery was his home, his business and his life.

"He was born at the winery and lived his entire 68 years on the property. He never lived anywhere else or worked anywhere else," said his son, Rossi Rizzo.

So it's not surprising that when the longtime owner of the family business died Jan. 15, he was riding around the winery on his ever-present golf cart. Rizzo was 68.

"He died at the winery, the place that he loved," Rossi said.

Rizzo oversaw the conversion of the winery from the historic ranch purchased by his family in 1927 to the destination attraction that today houses 15 businesses and the temporary home of the Rancho Bernardo Historical Society.

The winery owner long pushed for a permanent historical society museum to be built on the property. A groundbreaking ceremony for that building is scheduled for Feb. 9.

"He wanted this project from the '80s when a design was done for a museum at the winery. It was Ross's offer and vision at that time, and I think that vision stayed with him all these years," said Susan Floyd, a past president of the historical society. "He was right there on this journey. I'm just sorry he won't be there for this event."

With his knowledge of the winery and the area's history, Rizzo was a great resource for the historical society and other Rancho Bernardo organizations. He helped form the Chamber of Commerce and supported pretty much any group that asked, his son said.

"It was the Italian way. You always help your friends out," Rossi said. "People would come to him, and he'd say, 'Sure, what do you need?' My father was the most generous human I ever met."

Practically from the time of his birth on Sept. 11, 1939, Rizzo involved himself at the winery, picking and planting grapes and helping to make the wine. By age 14, he had his driver's license and would drive one of the winery's tractors to Escondido High School, where he graduated in 1959.

He had brief thoughts of becoming an architect, but work at the winery, founded in 1889, was plentiful and he settled into the business.

"He was in love with the winery from the start," Rossi said. "It was a very traditional family business, where all the children in the family go out to work."

Rizzo took over operating the winery after his father, Vincent, retired in 1964. He spent much of his time out in the fields or in the shops fixing tractors and other equipment. After his father's death in 1971, Rizzo had to sell off much of the land because of estate issues.

He opened the remaining 13 acres to attractions such as a blacksmith shop and a tasting room in what used to be the horse stables. Rizzo also brought in the Village Shops, which now include the Cafe Merlot restaurant, a coffee shop, bakery, salon and other stores.

Rizzo was always a visible presence at the winery on his golf cart, wearing a white cowboy hat and chatting up any and all visitors.

"He grew up in the situation they're reporting on. Someone once said it was like a museum curator meeting King Tut," his son said. "He had the answer to every question, all the memories of Rancho Bernardo."

Floyd added, "He was a person like nobody else because he had all that history behind him. To describe him is to describe the winery."

-- Contact staff writer Jeff Frank at (760) 740-5419 or jfrank@nctimes.com.