There are many winemakers at rest at Cypress Lawn, but only one revels in the legendary glory of the grape.
In 1977, San Francisco natives Raymond Signorello and his son purchased 100 acres along the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley and began the production of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. His original plan was to grow quality grapes to sell to existing wineries, but the harvest of 1985 changed this plan. The bountiful Chardonnay crop allowed the Signorellos to custom crush the excess grapes. This opportunity demonstrated what excellent wine their vineyards were capable of producing. Today, the Signorello Estate has 42 acres planted in several different varietals.
The granite for the memorial was brought from Cold Springs, North Dakota and both the design and cutting was executed by Henry Sutter of Kollman & Sutter Monument Company in Colma.
The Signorello Memorial is located on the East Side in Section L, a bottle’s throw from Gustave Niebaum (Inglenook Winery), the Tubbs Family (Chateau Montelana), and the only Cypress Lawn Oak Cork tree, the type from which wine cork is harvested.
Terry Hamburg, Cypress Lawn Heritage Foundation