portofino
Nestled in the hills of California sits the stables and vineyard of Portofino. It was first established by an Italian immigrant named Bernardo Dolcetti, whose family owned a vineyard of their own just outside of Portofino, Italy. He quickly found his niche in producing for local California wineries only a few years after getting established there, and had soon settled down happily on the property to start his own family.
The property grew and flourished over the following decades, and the family spared no expense for its construction. The estate's main building is a sprawling villa, with graceful arches and stucco walls that evoke the classic style of Mediterranean architecture. The villa is lined with lush flower gardens, citrus trees, climbing vines, and hedges, all of which are meticulously maintained by a dedicated team of landscapers.
The stables were originally built at the request of Bernardo's wife, Lucia, a former eventer who had left her retired Thoroughbred gelding waiting for her back in Italy. The addition was quite modest at first, comprising only a small barn and paddock situated just behind the villa, but having her cherished horse home with her again swiftly reignited Lucia's passion for horsemanship. Bernardo gifted Lucia a young Loshenka stallion for their 10th anniversary later that year, and she immediately took a liking to the breed. By the following year, she had secured two more, and the empty property just across the street had been purchased with plans to build an equestrian facility worthy of sharing the Portofino name.
The new property grew rapidly over the following years, and now features multiple barns, indoor and outdoor arenas, and expansive paddocks nestled amongst the vineyards and citrus groves. With Lucia at the helm, Portofino became a household name in the equestrian community, focusing heavily on breeding and training Loshenkas for a variety of English disciplines. Its vineyard still remains in business, though it is mostly used for weddings and honeymoons nowadays, with guest housing located adjacent to the main villa.
Guided by the Dolcetti family's enduring commitment to quality and tradition, Portofino it has been a cornerstone of the region's agricultural and equestrian communities for decades now. With their three children now managing most of the affairs, Bernardo and Lucia have settled comfortably into retirement, though Lucia can still be found at the barn almost every day.
