Summerset Senior Living’s Jim Zirkelbach shares his Napa Valley childhood and Italian heritage in The Italian Winemaker’s Grandson. Photo courtesy of Summerset Senior Living

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - At Summerset Senior Living, stories are celebrated — and for resident Jim Zirkelbach, those stories have become a book. His book, “The Italian Winemaker’s Grandson,” captures his Napa Valley childhood and Italian heritage, turning family traditions and vineyard memories into a heartfelt narrative.

Jim’s grandparents’ 2½-acre property in Rutherford, fondly called “Big Pink,” (because of its pink stucco exterior), was a place alive with laughter, food and family. His grandmother’s cooking and his grandfather’s homemade wine created a backdrop for weekends filled with traditions and the company of fellow Italian immigrants. Those memories — both joyful and mysterious — became the heart of his book.

The story follows his family’s journey from Gerola, Italy in 1910, across the ocean to New York, and eventually west to California, where they built a life in the vineyards of Napa Valley. Through its pages, readers walk with Jim into kitchens and vineyards, hear the voices of family legends, and share in the humor that shaped his youth.

Perhaps most inspiring is how the book was written. Disabled for more than two decades, Jim typed every page with a single finger. What began as short stories emailed to friends — nearly 250 in all — became a labor of love, preserved and shared with the help of his wife, close friends, and his church community.

“It was a unique way to grow up, surrounded by Italians, traditions, and beauty,” Jim reflects. “I wanted to preserve that before it disappeared.”

Now living at Summerset Senior Living in Rancho Cordova, Jim continues to share his journey through the community’s “Chapters of Life” series, where residents present their personal projects and passions. He hopes his book inspires younger generations to value family stories and traditions before they’re lost.

“Start writing,” Jim advises others. “It doesn’t have to be perfect. Memories matter — and sharing them is a gift.”