Our Oak Ridge Family

Farming is the basis of all that we do, and I feel truly blessed to be on this path that my great-grandfather, Angelo Maggio, began in 1906. Raquel Casity

Italian heritage, Lodi Roots

Ours is a story of family, farming, and winemaking. Angelo Maggio arrived in Lodi in 1906, immigrating from the Italian coast of Genova with his wife, Louisa. The first cuttings were planted in 1928 on the property of their first ranch home, which laid the foundation for the long, winding journey that culminates in the production powerhouse that is Oak Ridge Winery. Originally built in 1934, the winery itself was once a wine-making cooperative. As multigenerational farmers, Angelo, his son Roy, and eventually his grandson Rudy, were active participants, growing grapes to supply to winemakers around the country. When the facility was placed on the market in 2002, it was Roy’s son, Rudy, who saw this as an opportunity to expand on their long history of grape growing by producing quality wines of their very own. His intentions went far beyond a desire to dust off a piece of history; the Maggio family transformed it into a state-of-the-art winery capable of meeting the quality, style, and volume demands of a growing and evolving marketplace.

Rudy’s youngest daughter, a winegrower in her own right, now oversees the operations at Oak Ridge Winery, with a focus on brand building, and expansion. A multigenerational operation, the Maggio family vineyards, account for 2,200 acres throughout the Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA).

Meet the Team

Family

Winemaking & Production

Staff

Raquel Maggio-Casity

General Manager & Partner

As a fourth a generation grape grower in Lodi, California I am passionate about striving to be better than previous generations, by adopting sustainable farming practices that will preserve the vitality of our land for our future generations. Farming is the basis of all that we do, and I feel truly blessed to be on this path that my great-grandfather, Angelo Maggio, began on when he left his homestead in Italy for a better life in the USA in 1906.

Angelo Maggio planted his first vineyard in 1928, and I am sure he had his set of challenges – much of them probably haven’t changed! As farmers, we worry about weather, surpluses, diseases, balance of soil nutrients, labor, etc. There is a lot of work that goes into a successful harvest, but seeing the fruits of your labor makes the process worth it.

Running a winery poses it’s own unique set of challenges. After earning my degree in Business Administration from University of the Pacific, I returned to Oak Ridge to participate on the other side of the business. Seeing the hard work in the field manifest into products that are enjoyed across the county is inspiring, exciting, and humbling. It’s like coming full circle!

Rudy Maggio

Patriarch & Owner

People always want to hear a romantic story about a winery’s beginnings; I can’t say that we have that, but we have an authentic one. I am a farmer through and through – it was my identity and my trade – but transitioning to winery owner…that happened almost by accident.

My grandfather, Angelo, came from Italy to San Francisco in 1906. He stayed after the infamous 1906 earthquake and assisted in the rebuild, but eventually came out to the Stockton area. Over time, my grandfather acquired property in Lodi – on Peltier Road and Ray Road, to be exact – on my mother’s side, they farmed vineyards on DeVries Road.

We were strictly farmers up until the 1980s, when I joined the co-op at East Side Winery. But when the winery was put up for auction in 2002, I put an offer in with my partner Don Reynolds. Turns out we were the only bidders! So ready or not, we were entering the winemaking business.

It has been an exciting, insightful, and humbling journey. Over the years, we have found our stride – we aim to grow the best grapes possible, and we work with our dedicated team at the winery to produce approachable, affordable wines that people enjoy.

Laura Durham

Chief Winemaker

Laura Durham (Chadwell) joined Oak Ridge Winery in 2021 as Chief Winemaker. She is responsible for all aspects of winemaking across Oak Ridge Winery’s expansive portfolio, and her passion for winemaking and problem-solving will serve her well as she continues to expand her techniques with a focus on brand building and premium category expansion.

Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis and earned her Master’s in Business Administration from CSU Dominguez Hills. Born and raised in Galt, CA, Laura got her start as a harvest intern at Jessie’s Grove. She worked there while pursuing her degree and was ultimately promoted to Assistant Winemaker.

After graduating from UC Davis, she began an internship at Woodbridge Winery, working her way up to Winemaker in under two years. Her time at Woodbridge catapulted her into the corporate sphere of winemaking. She was soon promoted to New Product Development Winemaker for Constellation brands, facilitating the launch of over 80 new wine products and line extensions.

A self-described blend master and perpetual learner, Laura is happiest when she feels connected to the craft and possesses a very “hands-on” approach to winemaking. Oak Ridge Winery is excited to have her at the helm of their winemaking team, crafting premium wines representative of the diverse Lodi appellation.

Natale Gagliardo

Senior Winemaker

Natale Gagliardo joined Oak Ridge Winery in 2023 as a Senior Winemaker. He is responsible for the master blends of OZV, Maggio Family Vineyards, Old Soul, Oak Ridge, and TNT, with a focus on the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel varietals.

Natale was born and raised in Madison, New Jersey and holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Biological Sciences from Rutgers University. In 2007, he moved to California with dreams of becoming a winemaker; dreams that were born out of a childhood making wine every year with his father. While applying at Bronco Wine Company for a sales position, they told him that with his ambitions, the lab is where he should start! In seven years, and with no formal training, Natale advanced from lab technician to Winemaker, overseeing export labels and processing all white wine varietals for Bronco.

He started working primarily with the Lodi appellation during his time as winemaker at Bear Creek Winery. Natale enjoys seeing the interesting variations of varietals that can thrive in the seven different sub-appellations of Lodi, and finds that working with Zinfandel is both incredibly challenging to do well, yet very rewarding. Even with fifteen years of winemaking under his belt, his open-minded approach and eagerness to learn keep him in a state of constant growth and development.

Natale brings a breadth of experience and a spirit of persistence that complements the winemaking team, and will help keep Oak Ridge Winery on the path of evolution and success.

Bryan Casity

Production Manager

The winery’s fix-it man, Bryan oversees much of Oak Ridge Winery’s day-to-day facility operations, from bottling, to cellar, to procurement. Bryan has an extensive background in construction, having grown up learning the family trade. He has parlayed this experience into managing Oak Ridge Winery’s ten acre facility, keeping tabs on the maintenance and upkeep.

He began farming in the 1990’s with his wife Raquel, starting with a modest 20 acres of vineyards. What started as a hobby became a way of life – as their vineyards grew, so did their commitment to quality winegrowing and sustainability. Between growing grapes and overseeing production – if he doesn’t have the answer for something, he knows the person who does!

Jaime Padilla

Assistant Production Manager

Dedicated Industry Professionals

The heartbeat of Oak Ridge Winery is the group of dedicated industry professionals committed to hospitality, quality, and having fun! A delicate balance of production, sales, marketing and administrative – you can spot them around our 10 acre facility, or pounding the pavement across the country. No matter the department or location, each one keeps Oak Ridge humming.

Pictured: The 2022 Top of the Vines team building event! Departments: Winemaking, Cellar, Bottling, Maintenance, Hospitality, Administration, Marketing, and Sales.