Burnsini Winery in Cottonwood hosts 10th anniversary harvest

Four tons of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes hung ripe on the vines at Burnsini Vineyards earlier this month; and by sun-up one morning, about 70 friends and customers of the winery arrived to pick grapes in the seven-acre vineyard on Saturday, Sept. 4.

After a morning of picking and crushing, the grapes were well on their way to becoming 640 gallons of wine, estimated Tom Burnham, co-owner of the Cottonwood winery.

It wasn't entirely volunteer work, however, with the promise of a full breakfast with wine to follow.

While standing in the winery's new tasting room later that afternoon, Burnham said he's amazed how many people keep coming back to help. Most of the winery work is done by volunteers, he said, crediting his friends and customers for helping the winery with operations. Some of the volunteers said they met Burnham when he worked at the Simpson Paper Company. Others arrived with friends of friends of the winery.

"It's a fun experience," said Shirley Mullnix, who attended the grape picking for the first time. "Definitely makes you appreciate the labor of what goes into it."

"The Burnhams and Tomasinis are nice people," added Katherine Nobles of the winery owners. Nobles added that she enjoyed getting outdoors and meeting people.

Chef Joe Baro, a life-long friend of winery co-owner Jim Tomasini, said the owners bring him to California every year to cook for them in the summer and fall. Tomasini also owns the Tomasini Blacksmith and Welding in Anderson.

Combining their names to make Burnsini Winery, the two have produced a wine that they only sell locally, not venturing farther south than Orland.

The winery only produces 1,400 cases of wine yearly, Burnham said.

Now in the summer of its tenth-anniversary vintage, the winery has grown to feature several varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Zinfandel and a blend called Tehama Red. Also, the winery will uncork a new wine in December, called El Toro San Giovese, named after the San Giovese grape.