Tony & Jane

Tony and Jane Spica at the Chateau Garage Winery

Tony and Jane Spica at the Chateau Garage Winery

Tony Spica was born and raised in Michigan and moved to California after graduation from the University of Michigan in 1967 (GO BLUE). Tony spent the last 30 years in technical sales. Unlike the other members of Chateau Garage who came into winemaking late in life, Tony started at the ripe age of four…descending from many generation of Italian home wine makers. Tony first recalls making wine with his father and grandfather in Michigan. The grapes came by train from Napa Valley, so they obviously didn’t get them fresh off the vine. With this background his palate could best be described as earthy and unsophisticated being that it was developed drinking homemade wine in the Italian style. If you have never experienced it— to say the least — it is an acquired taste. He prefers wine with alcohol content of 13% or less which has become very difficult to find in California so he has turned to Sangiovese from Italy and Riojo from Spain.

Jane Spica calls the Midwest her incubation years. Born in Nebraska with stops in Des Moines, Chicago, Minneapolis, and several cities in Wisconsin. Beer, of course, being her first adult drink of choice. Her education took her to Atlanta, Florida and finally California. After raising three sons it was time to get a real job. She spearheaded the efforts to build the family log cabin which now houses the cellars of Chateau Garage. Marriage and Family Therapy and school counseling has kept her involved with communities in Oakland and Alameda for the past 20 years. Her first “ah ha” wine moment came on the Spica family trip to Italy in 1985 when she discovered that Italians really could make good wine.


Comments

Tony & Jane — 10 Comments

  1. dear tony,
    Here are the cousins ​​from Italy, I have two native who do not read do not receive your news and your family, I hope you are doing well and I really hope that this message will be delivered. I do not know if I made mistakes or what but I certainly not, I hope to have news from you as soon as possible, a hug goes to you a mery jane and your whole family.

    Ludovico and your family

    I am glad that your wine business is doing well and I wish you luck

    • Ludovico
      It was great hearing from you and the family. The Spica’s in the USA are all doing well and have had a great summer. As you can see we are continuing to make wine. In 2012 we will be making a Chardonnay and a Melbec.

      We haven’t been to Italy for two years so I am anxious to get back.

      All the best

      Tony and Jane

    • Olivier is wonderful! I was just in Paris and took aangvtdae of TWO of his tastings. Both in the same day! I drank A LOT of great wine that day and learned much as well. I even remember it!

  2. tony I was very happy to have received your cartollina for Christmas greetings I’m sorry I was not able to, because I lost the box where I keep all the memories from America and addresses all but now that I can answer or received. I would ask the courtesy to you at all if you feel, you greetings from our family in Italy. FRANK, MARY, YOUR CHILDREN PAT MATTHEW JONATHAN STEFANY GREG STACY AND I HOPE NOT FORGET NONE.
    you know I’m working on the historical archive of the mother church in montelepre I hope you have just finished an updated family tree of the family spica in Montelepre
    with affection ludovico

  3. I’ll keep this page out to read your answer. in the past my antivirus was blocking access, but now it works like a charm hello Ludwig

    • Ludcovico

      Thank you for the information. I am very interested in the historical archive of the mother church in Montelepre that you are doing. Please give me more information about what you are doing. Are you doing a Family tree for the Spica Family? If you are I would like to get a copy of it.
      If it would be easier you can email me at my email address tony @ rgb.com
      Regards
      Tony

      • hello tony you already thought of this as soon as I finished loading data on marriages will be easier to reconstruct a family tree. and with the cooperation of the pastor I can read the data in the Latin original register you will be able to have more informzzioni. I had already thought of this, as soon as I get all the information you’ll spend all your data. The registers of marriages start at the end of 600 to today. I was so glad to read you a hug goes to you and your entire family. I also have a new email cri.ludovico @ gmail.com

  4. hello tony, I sent to e-mail the pdf file on the research of our ancestors wanted to make sure if they arrived
    hello ludovico and family

  5. Tony/Jane hello from Montara CA. Great seeing you again back in Racine. We can’t wait another 10 years to get together here in the Bay Area and share a taste of the grape. If you are over on the Coast anytime, please let us know. I have some great craft beers to share with you from the HMB Brewery and Deschutes Brewery where our sons both work. We can compare notes. Also didn’t realize you were a UM alum. I’m UW Madison alum who still has “scars” about our late 60’s football team being drubbed by that team from Ann Arbor. Hope you made it back before the Ohare cancellations

  6. Hello Tony, Just checking back with you regarding this years Sangiovese. Don’t have your number so thought I would leave a message here. Hope all is going well. Regards, Jim

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