There is a point in each day right before the sun dips below the horizon that we call the Vanishing Point. It is the most beautiful light of the day on the vineyards in the wine country, but also the most fleeting. We strive to craft wines that capture that brilliance.

ShaWn Johnson

WINEMAKER

Shawn Johnson was raised in Texas and the Central Coast of California. After graduating from Arroyo Grande high school he studied business/marketing at California Lutheran. In 2001 he began working in sales at Cottonwood Canyon Winery in Santa Maria but quickly discovered a fascination for winemaking. Shawn moved to Napa Valley to work a harvest. During the next 10 years he ascended from a young cellar worker to seasoned assistant for a few of the best winemakers and labels in the business. He combined the foundation of science with the sensory skills necessary for crafting a fine wine. In 2009 he started his own project then began making wine for other labels. He enjoys exploring northern California, cooking, and dancing.

Chipper Pastron

OWNER

A lifetime of hands-on experience and unrivaled work ethic are the traits which owner Chipper Pastron has dedicated to Market City Caffe Hospitality Group since its inception in 1987. A native Californian, Pastron hit the ground running at age 13 with his first restaurant job. At 17, he managed a busy kitchen with more than 70 kitchen staff at the landmark Gladstone’s 4 Fish. His zeal to learn operations of the restaurant was the basis for his rapid success within the company. When the wildly popular spot expanded to additional locations, Pastron opened seven restaurants for the company until its sale in 1980. These 10 years were formative years in Pastron’s career; providing the educational foundation upon which MCC Hospitality Group would be built. 

Salvatore Casola Jr.

OWNER

Sal Casola, Jr. brings a rich family tradition, astute business acumen and a lifelong dedication to the restaurant business to his pivotal role as the third partner of Market City Caffe Hospitality Group. Growing up in the world of restaurants with his father, Sal Casola, Sr. and Chipper Pastron (his current partners) as his mentors, Casola, Jr. learned the craft of working a room, the patience of an operator and an appreciation for a strong work ethic.
Casola’s path was clear from early in his life. He honed his skills and paid his dues at the prestigious School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University from which he graduated in 1991. Upon graduation he moved to New York City where he became manager at one of the city’s finest restaurants.