In 2001, Deanna Starr and her husband, Ted, acquired the Milano Family Winery, which is located in an historic hop kiln just south of Hopland, CA. She is the winemaker and has responsibility for all production, inventory, purchasing, and compliance tasks as well as overseeing the tasting room, wine club operations, and accounting.

Deanna worked in the healthcare industry for more than 20 years and also was a home winemaker. All of her background in chemistry comes in handy when analyzing wine for just the right balance of components. In addition to her long-time interest in wine and winemaking, Deanna is a gourmet cook.

The winery's name has changed back to the original name of Milano after having been called Milone. It has operated continuously in the old hop kiln since 1977, and today, small lots of handcrafted wines are produced using traditional methods. Their signature wines are Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.

Deanna and Ted collect fine wine and have an extensive personal cellar and a passion for Port.