After a 1986 rupture with the family Sebastiani Winery, Sam Sebastiani founded Viansa in 1989 with his wife Vicki, a Tuscan-style villa devoted to Italian heritage varieties at Sonoma Valley's southern entrance. The 130-acre estate holds a 97-acre wetland preserve and Italian marketplace, now run by sons Chris and Jon.
Viansa is a Sebastiani story even when it isn't a Sebastiani winery. Samuele Sebastiani arrived in Sonoma from Tuscany in 1896 and bought vineyard land in 1904 with money earned making cobblestones for San Francisco's streets. Nearly a century later, his grandson Sam Sebastiani was running the family winery when a clash of vision led to his being pushed out by his own family in 1986. Three years later, he and his wife Vicki founded Viansa — a portmanteau of their names — at the southern entrance to Sonoma Valley, on a Carneros hilltop with sweeping views of vineyards, wetlands, and the Mayacamas. The mission was specific: Italian heritage varieties, in honor of the family's Tuscan origin.
Altura Estate Sangiovese, Carneros — The flagship; a double-gold-winning estate Sangiovese from the hilltop Tuscan-style estate.
Quattro Super-Tuscan-Style Red — A bold Sangiovese-and-Cabernet blend in the Tuscan tradition.
Primitivo — A rich, spicy red from the Italian cousin of Zinfandel.
Arneis — A crisp, aromatic white from the lesser-known Piedmontese grape.
Altura Estate Chardonnay, Carneros — A balanced, estate-grown white from the home vineyard.
The 130-acre estate includes 33 acres of vineyards and a 97-acre wetland preserve adjacent to Sonoma Creek, designed to provide migratory bird habitat. The Tuscan-inspired villa, modeled on Italian countryside architecture with hand-painted murals, massive beams, marble, and over 1,000 olive trees on the property, has become one of the most-visited winery destinations in Sonoma. Sam Sebastiani led Viansa for 16 years before passing ownership to his children in 2014; the estate is now under the stewardship of Adair Family Wines, with wines crafted by winemaker Meredith Leahy. The portfolio is unusually broad: Italian heritage varieties (Sangiovese, Arneis, Aleatico, Primitivo, Barbera, Muscat Canelli, Bianchetta Trevigiana) alongside California classics (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon). Tasting experiences range from a casual indoor bar flight to private Outlook experiences with valley views — anchored by an Italian marketplace, wood-fired pizza, weekend music, and Wine Club events.
Meredith Leahy is the winemaker at Viansa Sonoma, the Italian-inspired hilltop estate in the Carneros corner of Sonoma Valley founded by Sam Sebastiani in 1989 and now under the stewardship of Adair Family Wines. A Florida native with a chemistry degree from the University of Florida, Leahy brings nearly two decades of winemaking experience, with formative cellar roles at Mumm Napa and The Hess Collection and a decade-long tenure at Knights Bridge Winery. At Viansa she oversees a broad portfolio of Sonoma varietals — from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio to Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon — drawn from estate and sourced fruit across Sonoma County.
Victoria Campbell leads hospitality at Viansa Sonoma as Estate Director, overseeing the guest experience at the Italian-inspired hilltop estate that crowns the entrance to Sonoma Valley. From the Tuscan-style tasting room and marketplace to terrace flights with sweeping 270-degree views over the Carneros wetlands, she guides a team built around the warm, food-and-wine hospitality for which Viansa has been known for more than three decades.
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Altura Estate Sangiovese, Carneros — The flagship; a double-gold-winning estate Sangiovese from the hilltop Tuscan-style estate.
Quattro Super-Tuscan-Style Red — A bold Sangiovese-and-Cabernet blend in the Tuscan tradition.
Primitivo — A rich, spicy red from the Italian cousin of Zinfandel.
Arneis — A crisp, aromatic white from the lesser-known Piedmontese grape.
Altura Estate Chardonnay, Carneros — A balanced, estate-grown white from the home vineyard.
Viansa is a Sebastiani story even when it isn't a Sebastiani winery. Samuele Sebastiani arrived in Sonoma from Tuscany in 1896 and bought vineyard land in 1904 with money earned making cobblestones for San Francisco's streets. Nearly a century later, his grandson Sam Sebastiani was running the family winery when a clash of vision led to his being pushed out by his own family in 1986. Three years later, he and his wife Vicki founded Viansa — a portmanteau of their names — at the southern entrance to Sonoma Valley, on a Carneros hilltop with sweeping views of vineyards, wetlands, and the Mayacamas. The mission was specific: Italian heritage varieties, in honor of the family's Tuscan origin.
The 130-acre estate includes 33 acres of vineyards and a 97-acre wetland preserve adjacent to Sonoma Creek, designed to provide migratory bird habitat. The Tuscan-inspired villa, modeled on Italian countryside architecture with hand-painted murals, massive beams, marble, and over 1,000 olive trees on the property, has become one of the most-visited winery destinations in Sonoma. Sam Sebastiani led Viansa for 16 years before passing ownership to his children in 2014; the estate is now under the stewardship of Adair Family Wines, with wines crafted by winemaker Meredith Leahy. The portfolio is unusually broad: Italian heritage varieties (Sangiovese, Arneis, Aleatico, Primitivo, Barbera, Muscat Canelli, Bianchetta Trevigiana) alongside California classics (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon). Tasting experiences range from a casual indoor bar flight to private Outlook experiences with valley views — anchored by an Italian marketplace, wood-fired pizza, weekend music, and Wine Club events.
Meredith Leahy is the winemaker at Viansa Sonoma, the Italian-inspired hilltop estate in the Carneros corner of Sonoma Valley founded by Sam Sebastiani in 1989 and now under the stewardship of Adair Family Wines. A Florida native with a chemistry degree from the University of Florida, Leahy brings nearly two decades of winemaking experience, with formative cellar roles at Mumm Napa and The Hess Collection and a decade-long tenure at Knights Bridge Winery. At Viansa she oversees a broad portfolio of Sonoma varietals — from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio to Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon — drawn from estate and sourced fruit across Sonoma County.
Victoria Campbell leads hospitality at Viansa Sonoma as Estate Director, overseeing the guest experience at the Italian-inspired hilltop estate that crowns the entrance to Sonoma Valley. From the Tuscan-style tasting room and marketplace to terrace flights with sweeping 270-degree views over the Carneros wetlands, she guides a team built around the warm, food-and-wine hospitality for which Viansa has been known for more than three decades.
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