If you’ve been out to visit us here at the tasting room and vineyard, you’ve most likely noticed the two crosses perched high upon the hill, watching over the Stolo property. Simple in construction, two old pieces of wood strapped together by barbed wire, but striking against the skyline. I’ve had lots of people asking if I know why the crosses are there.
I do know how one cross made it up to the hilltop. The previous owner of this property, as he tells it, put one there during his time of need. Being a religious man and having had fallen on difficult times, he dragged two large pieces of wood up the steep hill, strapped them together and plunged the makeshift cross into the ground next to the cross that was already in place on the hill. He immediately felt a sense of inspiration after placing his worries into that hilltop cross. Every time he felt overwhelmed he would gaze up at the cross and feel a sense of calm, knowing that someone was watching over him.
How or why the original cross was erected continues to be a mystery along Santa Rosa Creek Road. Descendants from families that have lived along this road for decades know almost everything about the evolution of Santa Rosa Creek Road except the origin of that one cross. Most people believe that someone is buried up there since it was common practice back in the day to bury the dead at the highest point possible, closest to God. No one feels the need to dig around to find out.
Whatever the story is behind the original cross, it is obvious that both crosses were placed high upon the hilltop for meaningful reasons. You can still feel it to this day, a sense of peace when you gaze up at the two. It is a beautiful sight.
