The passion that exists within every bottle of Doffo wine originates from their Italian ancestors who immigrated to Argentina in the early 1900s. Marcelo’s grandfather, Bernandino, settled in Pampas, Argentina where he grew soybeans and corn and raised cattle. Marcelo grew up on that land, and it was there that his love and dedication to the art of cultivation began.
Marcelo Doffo as a child in Argentina with his brother and cousin.
As a young man, Marcelo immigrated to the United States and began a new life journey. In 1994 he visited the old country in the northern region of Turin, Italy and discovered that like every good Italian, his great uncle still made wine the old fashioned way in his basement. Marcelo returned home anxious to try his hand at winemaking, creating his first batches in his garage. By 1997 he had expanded his knowledge and developed his skills as a winemaker, and was awarded the silver medal from the Orange County Wine Society.
This experience and honor sealed his fate. That same year he purchased an old cattle ranch in Temecula, California, complete with an historic one-room schoolhouse. The schoolhouse reminded him of a similar place he attended as a small child in Argentina. Starting with bare property, Marcelo painstakingly prepared the soil and installed trellises and irrigation lines by hand. He then planted his first vines of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah with a small percentage of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Four years later, Marcelo was proud to introduce his first wine, calling it “Mistura.”
Marcelo’s philosophy has always been that good wine making begins in the vineyard. From hand-planting each vine to the meticulous daily attention, Marcelo, his son Damian, and their crew take great care to produce intensely rich fruit that truly expresses their commitment to making world class wine. Doffo Winery produces small batches of wine in comparison to many other wineries in Temecula Valley, and the attention to detail that this affords results in bold, complex wines.
As the son of Marcelo Doffo, Damian grew up with farming and wine in his blood. In the early days of winemaking in the backyard, Damian would help out by washing bottles for 10 cents apiece. That was long ago, and thanks to his father’s mentoring he has since developed into a promising winemaker. Damian developed a sophisticated palate in his years as Marcelo’s assistant winemaker, but it was his father’s teaching that expanded his knowledge to include all aspects of owning and managing a winery and vineyard. After graduating from Cal Poly Pomona, Damian cut his teeth in corporate sales before returning to the winery as General Manager. Now a leader in the up-and-coming wine region, Damian sits on the Temecula Valley Winegrower’s Association Board of Directors and helps guide this coalition of winemakers as they forge ahead into the future.
As the winery has grown over the years, so too has the need to provide an exceptional experience for visitors. Marcelo’s daughter, Brigitte, serves as Tasting Room Director, and under her direction newcomers and longtime members alike are welcomed to an elegant and inviting space where the wine tasting experience is at the forefront.
Marcelo’s daughter, Samantha, serves as Events Director and has turned Doffo Winery into a true destination in Temecula Valley. In addition to coordinating weddings and other private events, Samantha continues to keep Doffo Wine Club happenings fresh and original.
After decades of blood, sweat and tears put into building one of the great wineries in Temecula Valley, founder Marcelo Doffo has stepped back from daily operations. He has entrusted his life’s work to his three children: Brigitte, Samantha and Damian. The next generation has accepted their father’s charge to continue his legacy by producing fine wine and ensuring that the doors are always open to those who seek it.
The Doffo family’s passion for motorcycles can be traced back to Marcelo’s childhood in Argentina, where he first fell in love with the imported European motorcycles that were becoming popular at the time. Marcelo moved to the United States in the mid 1970s and eventually opened an auto body shop, Doffo Auto Body, with his brother, Jorge Doffo. Here his eye for perfection was put to good use and he developed his skills as a restorer. After establishing Doffo Winery, Marcelo set out on a quest to find and restore those very motorcycles that mesmerized him as a child. In the years since, the MotoDoffo Vintage Motorcycle Collection has grown to include nearly 200 motorcycles and scooters from around the world and attracts moto enthusiasts and wine lovers alike to the MotoDoffo Barrel Room housed on the winery grounds.
What began as a small collection of old bikes quickly evolved into something more. Over the years, Marcelo and Damian paid tribute to their favorite sport by creating an annual MotoDoffo wine, a Malbec-forward red blend that was always a best-seller. Just as he did with the family business, Marcelo passed on his love of two-wheeled machines to his children. Now the Doffo family can be found riding around Southern California or even racing vintage motorcycles at AHRMA events.
With growing interest in the collection, the wine, and an expanded apparel line, the Doffo Family decided to create MotoDoffo Wines. No longer limited to a single red blend, winemaker Damian creates four unique red blends and one white blend each year. In addition to holding some delicious wine, each bottle of MotoDoffo features original artwork commissioned from some of the motorcycling world’s most renowned artists. The family’s passions collide to form the MotoDoffo brand, whose motto is “Wine Art Moto.”
2022 Marks 25 years since Marcelo purchased that piece of land of Temecula Valley. He could not envision then that it would one day be home to one of the region’s premier wineries, but he was ultimately rewarded for the courage required to start a new business from nothing, the years of hard work in developing the vineyards and the winery, and the passion poured into every bottle of Doffo wines.
Now, as the second generation of Doffos runs the daily operations of the winery, the third generation begins to get involved. As Marcelo puts it, “As amazing as it has been to watch my kids take over and run the winery, it is even more special to see my grandchildren step up. They are the torch carriers, and I am very proud.”
Winemaking is, and has always been, our primary endeavor. Our philosophy is that bigger isn’t better, and instead have decided to keep our operations small in an effort to deliver powerful wines while offering excellent customer service and Wine Club satisfaction.
As the mission statement on the back of our bottles says: “Family unity is our priority, nurturing the soils of our vineyards is our legacy, and handcrafting exceptional wines is our passion.” We raise a glass to everyone who made this first 25 years possible, and look forward to the next 25! Salute!