Frederic Nunes and his wife, Wendy, decided to plant Nunes Vineyard in 1997, when Fred retired from a 30-year career as a firefighting helicopter pilot. The forty three acres for Nunes Vineyard came to Fred from his grandfather, Fred Muzio, who bought it in the 1950’s to farm hay and raise pigs and as a weekend spot for the family to gather.

The concept of farming as a second career was familiar and appealing to Fred as from the age of twelve he was on a tractor growing small white beans with his father. He has a Systematic Biology and Ecology degree from San Francisco State University, and both he and Wendy completed the viticulture classes at Santa Rosa JC. Wendy Fowler Nunes owned a small graphic design company in Scotts Valley from 1983 to 1997.

Fred forayed into growing wine grapes when he was eleven. As a 4-H project, he planted Cabernet Sauvignon in his mother's side garden and made himself a little wine. It didn't turn out to be cult-quality, but the process fascinated him even then.

Grandfather Muzio made quite a bit of wine every year in his San Francisco basement. Fred's mother, Dorothy Nunes, remembers punching down the must when she was a child. It's a good bet this is where young Fred got the idea.