Val’s two great-great grandfathers are well-known California pioneers and historic Sonoma legends. Mexican General Mariano Vallejo founded Sonoma in 1835 and made wine in the army barracks still located on Sonoma’s town square. He was forced at gun point to relinquish California to the Bear Flaggers – a self proclaimed and rather nasty group who declared California a republic for themselves on June 14, 1846- the precursor to California official statehood 25 days later. Hungarian born, Agoston Haraszthy emigrated to the U.S. in 1842 and chased gold west. He built Buena Vista winery in Sonoma in1857, arguably the first winery in California. Following construction he imported the first full array of European wine varieties into California in 1861. The effort resulted in him being referred to as, “The Father of California Viticulture.”

General Vallejo and Agoston Haraszthy greatly admired each other and became close friends. Haraszthy’s sons, Arpad and Attila Haraszthy married the General’s daughters, Jovita and Natalia Vallejo in double wedding ceremony in June, 1863.

The Haraszthy family – Val, Vickie, Sean, Kyle and Evan all work and live in Sonoma.