CHAUCER’S CELLARS, part of BARGETTO WINERY, has been producing premium, award-winning Meads for over 50 years. CHAUCER’S MEAD is produced from 100% organic honey. Our Raspberry Mead and Pomegranate Mead are made from co-fermented organic honey, purees, and juices. Our Sparkling Mead is made from 100% organic honey with orange and ginger
essences.
Enjoy our mead chilled, as an accompaniment to various entrees and desserts, served with your favorite dried fruit, nuts and cheeses or as an ingredient in your favorite mixed drink. Find some ideas on our recipes and pairings page. Our Mead can be served chilled or mulled with the included spice packs. Great for gifting!
CHAUCER’S MEAD story begins on the banks of Soquel Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. In 1970, after creating a line of distinctive wines with plums and other fruits, our father Lawrence Bargetto saw an opportunity to make mead from fresh, locally-sourced honey in Santa Cruz County.
In the 70s, with the Age of Aquarius in full swing in the U.S., there was tremendous upheaval and a quest to try new things. Hence, the experimental young Lawrence decided to dabble in mead-making. Since it was summer, the fermentation tanks were
empty and could be used for this project before the upcoming grape harvest. Lawrence had no idea how quickly the CHAUCER’S brand would grow. Immediately, after the fermentation began, the cellars were filled with the delicate and sensuous aromas of clove, sage, and orange honey. Lawrence had not smelled these aroma profiles in the cellars before, and he was exhilarated with the possibilities.
After finishing the fermentation, clarification, stabilization and sweetening, he bottled the mead in green hock bottles, typical of sweet German Rieslings, to highlight the sweet profile of his meads. Those who tried his meads were pleasantly surprised by the slightly sweet, honeysuckle flavors of this new product.
While winning award after award for his mead, Lawrence decided he would try his hand making other meads and fruit wines. More recently, CHAUCER’S CELLARS has introduced other fruit meads called melomels. Alongside our Original Honey Mead, inspired by Lawrence, we currently produce a Raspberry Mead, a Pomegranate Mead and Sparkling Mead. Lawrence’s commitment to quality and perseverance have paid off with the ongoing growth of the CHAUCER’S meads over the decades.
CHAUCER’S CELLARS has a long, proud tradition of producing award-winning wines. Here are some of the recent awards our CHAUCER’S wines have won.
2025
Best of Class - SF Chronicle WIne Competition
93 points - CA State Fair
2022
96 points - CA State Fair
Silver - Mead Crafters Competition
2021
Best of Class - SF Chronicle Wine Competition
Silver - Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition
2020
Best of Class - SF Chronicle Wine Competition
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2025
Gold - SF Chronicle Wine Competition
2024
Gold - SF Chronicle Wine Competition
95 points - CA State Fair
Gold - Texas International Wine Competition
2023
Double Gold - Sunset International Wine Competition
Silver - CA State Fair
Double Gold / Best of Class - Sunset International Wine Competition
2022
96 points - CA State Fair
2019
Gold / 98 points - CA State Fair
Gold - San Joaquin Valley Wine Competition
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2022
Best of Class - SF Chronicle Wine Competition
Silver - West Coast Wine Competition
Silver - LA Invitational Wine Challenge
96 points - California State Fair
Silver - TEXSOM
Silver - Mead Crafters Competition
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Chaucer's Brand Manager
Martin Bargetto was born and raised on the family winery property in Soquel, CA. He began working at the winery at age six, taking on a variety of roles from cellar work to lab testing, construction, and bottling.
After graduating college, Martin managed a Sacramento wine shop for two years, gaining valuable industry experience. He returned to the family winery in 1982 to assist with harvest and, following his father’s passing, became general manager in 1983. While working full-time, Martin earned an MBA from the University of San Francisco in 1989. He then became marketing director, helping build a national distribution network for the winery. In 2003, he was named president while continuing to oversee marketing. Today, Martin remains active at Bargetto Winery, focusing on the CHAUCER’S brand.
Chaucer's Brand Manager
Martin Bargetto was born and raised on the family winery property in Soquel, CA. He began working at the winery at age six, taking on a variety of roles from cellar work to lab testing, construction, and bottling.
After graduating college, Martin managed a Sacramento wine shop for two years, gaining valuable industry experience. He returned to the family winery in 1982 to assist with harvest and, following his father’s passing, became general manager in 1983. While working full-time, Martin earned an MBA from the University of San Francisco in 1989. He then became marketing director, helping build a national distribution network for the winery. In 2003, he was named president while continuing to oversee marketing. Today, Martin remains active at Bargetto Winery, focusing on the CHAUCER’S brand.
National Sales Manager
Before joining BARGETTO & CHAUCER'S CELLARS way back in 1986, Jim's first venture in the wine industry was as a tour guide at the old Novitiate Winery in Los Gatos. From there he moved to Washington State and found work as a sales rep for the fledgling Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery.
Starting out as a sales rep in the Northern CA, Jim has evolved over the years in the national effort with promoting CHAUCER'S. He has been part of the effort in establishing CHAUCER'S as a leading brand in the resurgent mead category. A fun highlight for him was hosting winery wine club parties as Bacchus the wine god. When Jim isn't conjuring up new mead cocktail recipes, you might find him on the golf course, playing bocce or ping pong, tossing the frisbee or watching film noir.
National Sales Manager
Before joining BARGETTO & CHAUCER'S CELLARS way back in 1986, Jim's first venture in the wine industry was as a tour guide at the old Novitiate Winery in Los Gatos. From there he moved to Washington State and found work as a sales rep for the fledgling Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery.
Starting out as a sales rep in the Northern CA, Jim has evolved over the years in the national effort with promoting CHAUCER'S. He has been part of the effort in establishing CHAUCER'S as a leading brand in the resurgent mead category. A fun highlight for him was hosting winery wine club parties as Bacchus the wine god. When Jim isn't conjuring up new mead cocktail recipes, you might find him on the golf course, playing bocce or ping pong, tossing the frisbee or watching film noir.
Lead Meadmaker
Lead meadmaker Keegan Mayo guides every stage of the meadmaking process. A graduate of UC Davis' renowned Viticulture and Enology program, Keegan pairs over twenty years of experience in the winemaking industry with a passion for creating the highest quality meads and melomels from organic ingredients. Keegan’s unyielding commitment to quality and his unwavering passion for winemaking make him an invaluable asset to our family winery and the California wine industry, and a true master of his craft. In his free time, Keegan enjoys surfing, mountain biking, rock climbing, traveling, music and raising his son.
Lead Meadmaker
Lead meadmaker Keegan Mayo guides every stage of the meadmaking process. A graduate of UC Davis' renowned Viticulture and Enology program, Keegan pairs over twenty years of experience in the winemaking industry with a passion for creating the highest quality meads and melomels from organic ingredients. Keegan’s unyielding commitment to quality and his unwavering passion for winemaking make him an invaluable asset to our family winery and the California wine industry, and a true master of his craft. In his free time, Keegan enjoys surfing, mountain biking, rock climbing, traveling, music and raising his son.
