Some stories begin simply.
That doesn’t mean they lack for passion. Rather, they possess a fire aligned with a presence of vision, one that crystallizes over generations to form a distinct path and the steps needed to travel the long road of success.
It’s an innovative spark that steers a story from the everyday to extraordinary.
In the distillation of history, we often forget that companies begin as these passionate dreams—some of which propel families across oceans. The simplicity of this drive should never be underestimated, though, as it has given rise to operations that serve as quiet but innovative leaders of industries.
One such story is set in the heart of California’s Central Valley, only a few hours from where I currently pen this article in Sacramento. The Central Valley is often featured in the landscape of those minds searching for a particular kind of American Dream. 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of Marko, Andrew, and Morgan Zaninovich’s grandparents immigrating to the United States. Arriving from Croatia in the early 1920s, one can only imagine how they looked at the opportunities of California and considered what that land might look like a century later—and how their family would have a hand in shaping that vision.
California represented a chance to build something from nothing, to put down roots that would soon sprawl across acres which would one day bear the name Sunview Vineyards and Marketing.
Embracing his ancestors' vision, the patriarch of the family, Marko B., methodically and dynamically built the foundation and set the vision for Sunview. His contribution to not only the fiber of the company but also the California table grape industry and his ever-present attention to detail is visible in all aspects of the company.
The name Sunview has become synonymous with many words, but perhaps none more so than innovation—which all three brothers speak to with a figurative fire in their eyes.
No story would be complete without this sense of pioneering, and Sunview’s narrative is rife with examples. One of the early adopters of organic grape farming in the 1980s, the company has been a leader in the sector for over four decades.
“Organic farming practices drive innovation and filter through the rest of production,” kicks off Andrew, Co-Owner, who runs Sunview alongside his brother and fellow Co-Owner, Marko. “Natural farming is good farming. Yes, it takes extra commitment, training, and investment, but I think the quality of our grapes speak for themselves.”
Leading-edge techniques blend with old-world knowledge as Sunview harnesses agility and bends with ease to meet the demands of our industry. In its research and development (R&D), and grape breeding programs, four decades of innovation have prompted the success of many grape brands including three proprietary brands: Stella Bella®, prized for its large size, crisp texture, and sweet flavor; Sparkle™, a large-sized and elongated-shaped premium red seedless grape grown exclusively by Sunview in California; and Sweet Carnival™, a golden grape with a unique flavor that is “As sweet as any carnival treat.”
“Organic farming practices drive innovation and filter through the rest of production.”
Andrew Zaninovich, Co-Owner, Sunview Vineyards and Marketing
The company’s R&D is only one portion of Sunview’s long-term innovation and investment plans.
“A new brand takes a solid 10 years to get into commercial production,” Marko says. “We want to ensure that the right product gets out at the right time, and you can’t rush something like that. The current success of our proprietary brands, notably Stella Bella, Sparkle, and Sweet Carnival, are examples of our commitment.”
Marko, Andrew, and Morgan, who run the Rutherford Ranch winery in Napa, California, all impart that knowledge is key when it comes to cultivating high-quality grapes, whether they are table grapes or wine grapes.
“We’re conducting daily field analysis and have collaborated with the University of California and California State University systems, as well as the USDA program at California State University, Fresno,” Marko comments, “which resulted in a clear understanding of our soils, groundwater, and vineyard microclimates. Couple that with our commitment to innovation and sustainability and you get a unique process that allows each of our delicious grape varieties to reach their full potential.”
We take a beat to ponder the weight of these words. The vineyards and the family have become inseparably fused together; it's their way of life. I can see Marko, Andrew, and Morgan walking through the vineyards, morning light dappling their faces as they take up the devoted mantle of generations past.
“We want to ensure that the right product gets out at the right time, and you can’t rush something like that. The current success of our proprietary varieties, notably Stella Bella®, Sparkle™, and Sweet Carnival™ are examples of our commitment.”
Marko Zaninovich, Co-Owner, Sunview Vineyards and Marketing
“Our deep roots in table grapes extend over three generations,” Marko reflects, as the enormity of how his family’s arrival to California became a success story bears down on us. “Even then, the Zaninovich family had a global vision for fresh grapes and wanted to bring the category to areas without them.”
Since its beginnings, the family-run operation has built itself on the founding pillars of reliability, trust, and integrity. All the brothers exude these qualities, as they’ve been passed down through the family’s collaborative approach to business.
“Everyone has active roles in the company,” Andrew notes with pride. “Our family members are out in the vineyards every day. The third generation is prepping the fourth, teaching them the ropes on everything from integrative pest management to our breeding program.”
Mitch Wetzel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, emphasizes the importance of the family's role within the company—noting how each brother encompasses the drive and passion Sunview has come to be known for.
“Their approach to running the company is the most hands-on approach I’ve ever seen. The brothers and their father, Marko B., provide the company with guidance that drives everyone to be better,” Mitch imparts. “There is not a day that goes by where they aren’t walking the vineyards and looking at the fruit, inspecting the daily pick, talking to salespeople and customers in the office. They lead by example, that’s for sure.”
Investing in its people is part of the Sunview legacy, as the company knows that a high-value product can only come from a high-value team. Throughout the year, Sunview’s dedicated employees tend, cultivate, and monitor vine development before and after the harvest to ensure that the grapes are of the highest quality.
“We have a low attrition rate, and a high percentage of our crews are employed year-round,” explains Marko. “Valuing relationships is central to us here at Sunview because we’re working side by side with both our customers and our team to bring the best grapes to consumers all over the world.”
Another characteristic that sets Sunview apart from other companies is its attention to sustainability—and how this affects both the operation today and the operation it will be in the future.
“I think it’s important for both the buyer and the end consumer to know that buying Sunview grapes means they’re buying a product from a company that cares for the land it farms,” Andrew shares in regard to why sustainability is always top of mind for Sunview.
This care of the land begins at the soil-level, as Sunview makes use of natural fertilizers to create a symbiotic balance in the soil and in the vineyard. It actively reduces its use of chemical applications and makes use of cover crops, a natural ground cover that promotes beneficial insects. The company also makes use of integrated pest management, a method that breeds other beneficial insects in the greenhouse to be released into the vineyards to feed on invasive pests.
“Their [Andrew and Marko's] approach to running the company is the most hands-on approach I’ve ever seen."
Mitch Wetzel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Sunview Vineyards and Marketing
“We can’t say it enough: The farmer is the ultimate and very first environmentalist,” Marko emphasizes. “For us, we believe that high-quality and safe produce should be grown in a way that doesn’t come with an environmental cost. We are the third generation to farm this land, and everything we do is in dedication to protect the soil, water, air, and wildlife near our operations.”
As a vertically integrated operation, Sunview has control over the entire production process, meaning that quality and consistency are maintained throughout. Its Casa Cristal Vine Nursery optimizes production quality, as well, which then allows for a better speed to market when these new products are introduced.
Vertical integration has been part and parcel to Sunview’s strategic vision for decades. This has led to another clear advantage to Sunview’s operations: the company only sells fruit from its own vineyards. In addition, it sells rootstock of popular varieties. Not only does this show a dedication to the success of the industry at large, but it also underscores an overarching value: stewardship of the land. Since rootstock can improve plant health and increase production, it helps sustain the health or survival of a vineyard.
Making use of 99.9 percent of its crop, Sunview’s full crop utilization is a direct link to the company's commitment to sustainability. Grapes that are not harvested and packaged for fresh table grapes are made into raisins or bulk wine.
There is a consistency in Sunview’s dedication to land stewardship and sustainability that touches on the company’s time-honored techniques. Both quality and mission blend together in the table grape grower, outfitting the company with a blueprint of future success.
“As we think about the future, we’re thinking in terms of 50 years down the horizon. Sunview values quality over short-term profitability. If we have to sacrifice that, we won't do it. We have 100 years of farming experience under our belt,” Andrew relays. “That experience accounts for a variety of conditions, including our current concerns with water availability and drought.”
Combatting this, Sunview leaves a significant portion of acreage fallow each year, and its long-term water plan includes proactively anticipating any further complications from California’s water challenges.
The promise of the American Dream is not without its hardships, as those who have faithfully tilled this land know well. The reward would not be as sweet if the road was easy, a notion I believe the team at Sunview would echo.
Stories might begin simply, but their true beauty stems from being passed down from generation to generation despite the hardships they faced.
I imagine the Zaninovich family working the land all those years ago, knowing, in that deep sense of knowing only families share, that somewhere in the future, their grapes will be tended to with the same care. 
