 Léal Vineyards is the
creation of a self-taught wine fanatic. Owner
Frank Léal is living his dream. His goal? To have
fun, to reestablish San Benito County’s
historic reputation as a winegrowing region,
and to consistently provide limited, exceptional
vintages to his discerning fans.
Many folks fantasize of running a winery when
they retire. Frank decided
to pursue his dream while still in his
twenties. Leaving his blue-collar career behind,
he searched for the perfect locale. In
1998 and only 28 years old, Frank purchased
45 acres for the new vineyard.
The chosen spot? The foothills of Hollister,
in San Benito County towards the northern
end of California’s
sprawling Central Coast region. Léal
recognized that here was a perfect synthesis
of climate, soils, and people for producing
truly great wines.
As the vines were left to mature in Hollister,
Frank headed to Napa to learn
first hand how to craft world class wines.
While the knowledge he learned in Napa was invaluable,
his didn’t
really fit in his irreverent attitude
and youthful style clashed with Napa’s
snobbery and stuffy tasting rooms. He
knew that the eventual Léal wines and
visitor experience would have to reflect his belief that wine should be built for and around
good friends, good meals, and good times in a non-pretentious enviroment.
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