Story

Kathy and Scott Dalecio

Gather, Connect, Share

Born and raised in Northern California, Kathy and Scott Dalecio always knew their individual and collective life journeys would eventually lead to a return to their roots. Dalecio Family Wines was born from a desire to honor their respective upbringings combined with the continued commitment to create lifelong traditions with their own children, which feature an abundance of family gatherings, celebrations, friendships, memorable food and of course great wine.

With diverse vineyards and one of the nation’s top winemaking teams, Dalecio Family Wines are small production, handcrafted wines that focus on quality over quantity, on nuance over mass production, on the very special connection that comes when you gather friends and family to love, laugh, savor fine wine and share great stories. We invite you to open a bottle of our wine and celebrate the next chapter of your ongoing story with family and friends.

Combining our passion for hospitality with uniquely crafted wines, each bottle of our wine is a celebration of the shared experience. Our philosophy is to honor our family, our community, the earth, our valued partners and their knowledge, and with authenticity and integrity, produce the finest quality wines we can that we are proud to share.

Philippe Melka
Winemaker

Incredibly talented, dedicated, thoughtful, precise, humble, fun — just a few of the words we use to describe Philippe Melka.

A native of Bordeaux, Philippe earned a degree in Geology at the University of Bordeaux, then secured his first job at Chateau Haut Brion. One of the most celebrated winemakers in North America, Philippe has been making some of Napa Valley’s most revered wines for the past 25 years.

Philippe believes that a grape must tell the story of its soil, and this philosophy shines through in the careful selection of our vineyards, farming and the minimal intervention winemaking methods used to produce Dalecio Family Wines. Philippe has assembled an outstanding group of professionals and we are grateful to have them as a part of our team.

Maayan Koschitzky
Director of Winemaking

As Director of Winemaking and Partner at Atelier Melka, Maayan brings a multitude of talents, spirit and energy to the Melka team and Dalecio Family Wines. He has amassed an extensive and impressive resume, ranging from the vineyards of Israel to premier wineries in the Napa Valley, including Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle. His background in engineering and his love of farming combined with his study of the most coveted wine regions of the world have all led to a constant refining of his craft. Maayan was recently recognized by Wine Enthusiast in their Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers listing for 2019. We are honored to have this true gentleman (and Renaissance man) on our team.

LOVE, ETC!

Dad, Grandad, John, Big John — these were the many names given to my father, John Futch, by those who knew him. My dad preferred life experiences to lavish gifts. He chose his words carefully, and was more apt to show affection for his grandkids with a trip to Fenton’s for ice cream sundaes than with flowery words. Whatever the correspondence — birthday or graduation cards, invoices for the long distance phone bills I racked up to my then boyfriend, now husband — he signed them all with “LOVE, ETC!” Any of his kids and grandkids will tell you that it was dad’s way of letting us know that family meant the world to him. As you open a bottle of our wine to share with your family and friends, we hope you hear my father’s voice and simple message coming through!  — Kathy Dalecio