Ashley Maniti grew up in rural central California towns, and always managed to have at least one dog at all times. Her early years were spent on a racehorse ranch on the outskirts of Modesto, then her formative years were spent in the town of Coalinga (home of the Horned Toad Derby). She always knew she wanted to end up closer to Modesto where her heart and roots are embedded. As a child her dream was to become a Veterinarian until she learned it’s not as easy on the heart as she imagined, and as an animal lover she couldn’t do it. Her next dream was to become a pharmacist, but things took a turn in college and she decided to major in Chemistry. In spring of 2012, she graduated from California State University, Stanislaus with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and zero background in Winemaking.

She followed her instincts and applied for a Laboratory position at Delicato Family Vineyards. Soon after she accepted a Winemaking Harvest Intern position. Not knowing anything about wine she jumped in head first, and soaked up everything as fast as she could. Her hard work and efforts didn’t go unnoticed, and once harvest was over she became the first Technical Administrative Assistant for the Winemaking department gaining exposure to the valuable business aspects of the wine industry. As time went on her passion for Winemaking and curiosity grew exponentially, and about a year later she was promoted to Enologist. As an Enologist she learned the majority of her Winemaking background and skillset. She didn’t just focus her career at Delicato, but also managed to meet her husband, and they wed at a local winery in 2015. Now that she had the background of the wine industry and winemaking, she was promoted to Assistant Winemaker in late summer of 2016. As Assistant she received her first varietal responsibilities: Chenin Blanc and French Colombard. Ashley is a goal-setter and long-term planner by default, and one of her goals was to make it to Winemaker in five years. In Summer 2018 she achieved that goal, and was promoted to Winemaker with varietal responsibilities of Moscato, Zinfandel, White Zinfandel, and a handful of our “spice rack” red blenders. When opportunity knocked in 2023, she opened the door, and now makes Zinfandel, White Zinfandel, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Petite Sirah. As the years go on, her desire to continue learning, evolving, and planning never ends, and her passion and excitement for making wine continues to grow exponentially. Ashley and her family (including two dogs) solidified their own family roots in Lodi, where vineyards surround the town. The perfect place to nourish her love for Winemaking, the wine industry, and most importantly: her family.