Don Frangipani is truly one of the "good guys" in the valley. Just ask any of his neighboring winery friends. He is always willing to answer questions, give a lending hand, and support fellow grape growers and wine makers of the valley. Coming from a farming family that grew gourmet mushrooms, Don found himself pulled towards an interest in gourmet foods and cooking. Eventually, this interest would lead to professional cheffing for some fine restaurants in the San Diego area. This culinary passion led him, like many other chef turned wine makers, to the great appreciation of fine wines and food. During the early nineties, Don, with this interest at hand, found himself being apprenticed at one of the original commercial vineyards and wineries of Temecula, with Vincent and Audrey Cilurzo. When the turn into this century came about, Don had already accelerated up the ladder of winemaking with the Cilurzo's, and continued his special relationship there, with it's new owners, Imre and Gazella Cziraki . Imre, with Don by his side, largely affected the upgrading of the whole operation at the newly named Bella Vista Winery (where you are still liable to see Don at wine bottling time). Also at this point in time, another original of the valley, Carl Key, the late '80's founder of Keyways Winery, decided it was time to pass the baton. Don and his wife, JoAnn, entered into to an agreement to take over operations at Keyways. Immediately Don began putting his own quality mark on the new wines he began batching. Very quickly, Keyways, like Bella Vista, took great leaps forward in quality production. However, due to unforeseen legal frustrations of taking over ownership of someone else's creation, the Frangipani's decided to procure acreage of their own up Deportola Road. Taking his new award winning wines with him, over to the birthing of their own new creation, Fragipani Estate Winery, in 2004, the Frangipani's picked up from where they had just left off.

Frangipani Estate Winery sits on the east facing side of a hill, looking up (north) and down (southeast) Deportola Road. A modest facility serves as both barrel room and tasting room, with a charming patio of magnificent views of the southeast valley.

Don is also a proud member of "The Rhone Rangers". He loves cultivating Rhone varietals, so it is an absolute must when you visit, to try his "reds", especially his Petit Syrah and Syrah. Don is quite regularly present at the winery, conducting his regular chores, and in between them he loves to chat with his patrons. Be sure to tell Don and his wife, JoAnn,  "hello", from LeRoy and Phyllis, at ShopTemeculaWines.com!