List: Latino-owned wineries in Sonoma, Mendocino and Napa counties

Wine Country is home to some of the oldest wineries in California with roots dating back to the 1800s. While some are still owned and operated by family members who inherited a passion for wine, others have changed hands or stopped producing altogether. With that, comes new opportunities for new wineries, vineyards and producers to thrive.

There are more than 30 Latino-owned wineries in Sonoma, Mendocino and Napa counties with websites that proudly share that they are “living the American dream.” Family biographies trace lineage back to home countries while describing the journey from humble beginnings and big dreams as farmworkers to getting their foot in the door while working at wineries and educating themselves on all-things wine related. All are proud of their accomplishments, their product and look ahead to future generations taking over the family business.

Here’s a list of Latino-owned wineries in the North Bay. If any are missing from this list, please email: elissa.torres@pressdemocrat.com.

Sonoma County

Aldina Vineyards: In 2012, siblings Francisco and Monica Lopez created their own label with what was once was a hobby vineyard planted by their father in Healdsburg in 1999. They produce chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and rosé. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. aldinavineyards.com

Alma de Cattleya: In 2012, Bibiana González Rave created her first label, Cattleya, as an homage to her home country, naming it after the national flower of Colombia. Her latest venture, Alma de Cattleya, she says represents the soul of the land that gives life to her wines as well as her own soul put into each drop of wine that makes it to the bottle. The Santa Rosa winery produces sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, red blends and rosé. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 888-597-2297, almadecattleya.com

Bacchus Landing: Al and Dina Lopez, with their children, Francisco and Monica, founded Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg. After taking a viticulture class at Santa Rosa Junior College, Al planted cabernet sauvignon grapes around the family estate. He then made small batches of wine to share with family and friends. Then, in 2012, the family created Aldina Vineyards. It is open for wine tastings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by appointment only, and Thursday to Monday walk-ins are welcome. 707-395-0697 bacchuslanding.com

Cattleya Wines: Bibiana González Rave began her first wine venture in 2011 with her own label, Cattleya Wines. The business sells bottles of chardonnay and pinot noir. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 888-597-2297, cattleyawines.com

Ceja Vineyards: In 1983, the Ceja family pooled their resources bought 15 acres of land in the Carneros Wine Region in Sonoma. The founded Ceja Vineyards Inc. in 1999. In 1986, they planted 13 acres with pinot noir grapes. Today, there are 113 producing acres and the next generation of Ceja children are entering the family business. The business sells bottles of pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, red blends, cabernet and merlot. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707- 255-3954, cejavineyards.com

Chavez Family Cellars: Chavez Family Cellars is a small artisan wine company located in Healdsburg. In 2006, after six years of making wine in their garage, the family launched their brand. The business sells bottles of cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc. 707-431-9920, chavezfamilycellars.com

Enriquez Estate Wines: Eduardo and Ana Enriquez, along with their daughter, Cecilia, ​ came from New Jersey to California for a ski trip in Tahoe. After realizing there was no snow, the Enriquez family decided to rebook in Wine Country, which they had never visited before and fell in love with the area. In June 2011, Cecilia moved to Petaluma and learned about winemaking from some of the best winemakers in Sonoma County. Operations moved to Forestville where Cecilla produces about 1,000 cases of wine annually on the company’s 8.5-acre vineyard property. The business sells bottles of pinot noir, rosé and other blends. The property offers overnight accommodation and food. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707-347-9719, enriquezwines.com

Fathia Wines: In 2019, Pedro and his wife, Jenny, Rodriguez acquired Fathia Wines in Kenwood. During the pandemic, they grew from producing 350 cases a year to 500. The tasting room is just down the road in Glen Ellen, with vineyard views. The winery sells bottles of cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, rosé, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707-282-9419, fathiawines.com

Guerrero-Fernandez Winery: The Windsor winery’s CEO Olga Fernandez runs the tasting room which features a wine tasting bar created with wine barrel staves by winemaker Martin Guerrero. The two own and operate the business together. The business sells bottles of pinot noir, merlot, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and merlot. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, Friday to Sunday. 707-953-7956, gfwines.com

Heirs of my Dreams Winery: Belén and Ellie Ceja, the third generation of Ceja family members in the wine business. They created an ultramodern custom crush facility in Sonoma’s Carneros Wine Region to provide production opportunities for small-batch winemakers and wineries. Permitted to produce up to 32,000 cases annually. Belén is the director of wine production, working closely with custom crush clients, while Ellie heads up events and oversees the winery’s upkeep.?he Sonoma property has 40 acres of pinot noir and chardonnay vines. 707-721-1780, heirswinery.com

Lemus Family Wines: Fifteen cousins in the Lemus family bonded over their love for wine and in 2020, they started Lemus Family Wines in Sonoma County. The family, from Santiago Conguripo, Michoacán, Mexico, are now in Sonoma County. They produce chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon. lemusfamilywines.com

Ludor Wines: Salvador De La Cruz Jr.’s career in the wine industry started at nine years old when he moved to the United States in 2000 from Mexico. He began working in the vineyards with his father, Salvador De La Cruz Sr., who had been working them since the 1970s. De La Cruz Jr. attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where he studied viticulture and oenology. After earning his degree, he worked at wineries in Sonoma, Napa, New Zealand and Australia. The older De La Cruz is the viticulturist, the younger De La Cruz is the winemaker at Ludor Wines in Sonoma. They produce cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and rosé. They also have a wine club. ludorwines.com

Monroy Wines: Adolfo Hernandez and his family, from Guatemala, moved to Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, in the 1980s, then in 1997, the family moved to California. Hernandez went on to graduate from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in molecular biology and began a career as a chemist in organic pesticide production in the Central Valley. Then he made the switch to winemaking at Clos Du Bois in Geyserville. Hernandez and his wife, Nohelia, who grew up in Healdsburg, started the business together around 2018. They produce sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon. monroywines.com

Ordaz Family Winery: The Kenwood winery produces chardonnay, merlot, pinot noir and rosé. They also have a wine club. 707-933-6905, ordazfamilywines.com

Prohibido Wines: Cesar Reyes was born in El Salvador and has been working in the wine industry for over 22 years. He attended Santa Rosa Junior College where he studied viticulture management. Reyes founded Prohibido Wines and their first vintage in 2016 in Sebastopol, the brand produces cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir. 707-217-4595, prohibidowines.com

Rancho Maria Wines: Sebastian Juarez co-founded Sonoma’s Rancho Maria Wines in 2011. His father, a vineyard manager, would take young Juarez to work at various Sonoma Counties vineyards. As he grew, so did his love wine. His parents would bring him along as they tasted wines from up and coming wineries around Sonoma and Napa County. In 2011, the family harvested 6 tones of estate fruit intended for Rancho Maria Wines and 350 cases were bottled.They produce chardonnay, zinfandel, petite sirah and rosé. They also have a wine club. 707-215-5000. ranchomariawines.myshopify.com

Robledo Family Winery: The Robledo family came to the United States in the 1940s to work in the vineyards. Since then, the family has established the first winery in the United States to be founded by Mexican vineyard workers on their own land in Sonoma. Reynaldo and Maria Robledo, began commercial wine production from the estate grapes in 1997 at the family winery in Sonoma Valley. Their son, Everardo Robledo, is CEO of the winery. The business sells bottles of cabernet sauvignon, red blends, pinot noir and rosé. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707-939-6903, robledofamilywinery.com

Reynoso Family Vineyard: Joe Reynoso is the oldest of 15 children. His father, Amado, was a migrant worker in the Central Valley. In 1994, Reynoso purchased 550 acres in the Napa Valley and his grapes have been sold to some of Sonoma’s top wine producers. Reynoso Family Vineyards currently farms 155 of the 550 acres, keeping only a tiny percentage of the finest grapes on the estate for their own wines. They produce cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and sauvignon blanc. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment. reynosowines.com

Mendocino County

César Toxqui Cellars: César Toxqui moved to Ukiah from Puebla, Mexico, when he was 16 years old. From there he worked a local vineyards in the North Bay and studied viticulture at Sonoma State University. He continued to learn and work at other wineries. In 2010 the opened a tasting room in Hopland and in 2018, he began putting down roots for his own small family-owned winery in Redwood Valley. The Hopland tasting room closed in 2022. They produce rosé, white wine, petite sirah, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and red blends. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings Monday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. 707-391-8411, toxqui.com

Napa County

Bazán Cellars: The roots of Mario Bazán go back to 1973 when Bazán immigrated to the Napa Valley from his native Oaxaca, Mexico. He honed his skills working up from a general laborer to grape grower. He and his wife, Gloria, purchased their family estate in 2005 and started developing their vineyard at the base of Atlas Peak. They produce cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings Thursday to Sunday. 707-927-5564, bazancellars.com

Delgadillo Cellars: Winemaker Ignacio Delgadillo, Sr., started in the wine industry in 1975 at Freemark Abbey Winery in St. Helena, where he became a cellar master. Along the way, he has consulted as a private vineyard contractor and established a successful custom wood packaging business. Then, in 2001, Ignacio and his son, Ignacio Delgadillo Jr., created their own label, Delgadillo Cellars in Napa. They produce cabernet sauvignon and rosé. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707-963-1729, dcellars.com

Don Chalo Cellars: In the 1970’s Don Chalo came to the United States, driven by a necessity to support his family. Decades later, this new generation of winemakers are paying homage to their father by curating a familial style of especially handcrafted wines. The Napa business was founded in 2018. They produce red blends, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and rosé. They also have a wine club. 707-701-1588, donchalocellars.com

Encanto Vineyards: Enrique Lopez was born in a small village in Michoacán, Mexico. He first came to the United States at age 11 and began helping his family harvest crops, starting with garlic in Nevada. Returning to Mexico, he graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Morelia Michoacán. He then returned to California to start working in the wine industry. In 2008, his Encanto Vineyards produced its first pinot noir. They produce sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir and red blends. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707-333-0617, encantovineyards.com

Gustavo Wine: Gustavo Brambila was born in San Clemente, Jalisco, Mexico and in 1957, his mother, Gustavo and brothers moved to join his father in Oakville where he worked as a vineyard worker for Louis Bartolucci Vineyards. Brambila went to the University of California, Davis, where he got his degree in fermentation sciences. He began his career in 1976 working at various wineries, then in 1996, he launched Gustavo Thrace brand. In 2002, he designed and developed the first downtown wine tasting room in Napa. In 2013, Gustavo rebranded to Gustavo Wine. They produce cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir. They also have a wine club. Call or book online for wine tastings. 707-666-2222, gustavowine.com

Herencia Del Valley: In 2007, Angelica and Guillermo founded Heritage Vineyard Management, a viticultural company that currently maintains over 800 acres of premier vineyards throughout Northern California. In 2012, with access to some of Napa’s best grapes and the support of their own team, Angelica and Guillermo founded Herencia Del Valley in Napa, a family-owned company to make and sell their own wines. They produce sauvignon blanc, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and chardonnay. They also have a wine club. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707- 253-8466, herenciawines.com

Honrama Cellars: Juan Puentes met his wife, Miriam Ramirez, in 1999. Puentes and Ramirez both had dreams of owning their own business. Honrama Cellars was created in Napa and their first vintage was produced in 2008. They produce pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, cabernet, cabernet sauvignon and rosé. They also have a wine club. 707-628-2743, honramacellars.com

Justicia Wines: Rafael Rios is the owner of Justica Wines in Calistoga and is a partner at a Napa Valley law firm where one of his specialties is vineyard and winery-related law. They also have a wine club. justiciawines.com

Llamas Family Wines: Oscar Llamas was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Each year he spent eight months traveling the farmworking circuit with his family, moving from California to Washington, then Oregon. The other four months were spent with his family in Mexico. He settled in the Napa Valley in the early 1990s. Llamas and his wife, Lola, founded Llamas Family Wines in Napa in 2009. They produce cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and sparkling wine. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707-287-5780, llamasfamilywines.com

MaCo Vineyards: In early 2009, a partnership formed between lifelong friends Roberto Corona and Jesus Maciel. This partnership would facilitate the development of a vineyard property in the Napa Valley. In 2013, they produced their first estate grown wine, and since then have expanded their small production. They produce cabernet sauvgnon, sauvignon blanc, and rosé. 707-373-2346, macovineyards.com

Madrigal Family Winery: Jacinto Madrigal came to the Napa Valley from Mexico in 1938 to farm apples, pears, walnuts and grapes in the orchards between St. Helena and Calistoga. His son, Jess, went on to pursue winegrowing and started a vineyard management business which today farms 800 acres of premium vines. In 1995, Chris Madrigal, Jacinto’s grandson, founded the Madrigal Family Winery in Calistoga. They produce cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah, red blends and zinfandel. They also have a wine club and have virtual tastings. 707-942-8619, madrigalfamilywinery.com

Maldonado Family Vineyards: Nestled in the northernmost tip of the Napa Valley, you’ll find Maldonado Family Vineyards, a small Mexican American family owned winery. Owner and winemaker Hugo Maldonado comes from a vineyard management background, working alongside his father Lupe Maldonado. They produce chardonnay. They also have a wine club. Call for information on wine tastings. 707-942-1376, maldonadovineyards.com

Mi Sueño Winery: Mexican immigrant Rolando Herrera and wife, Lorena, whose family has deep roots in Napa and Sonoma counties as grape growers, founded Napa’s Mi Sueño Winery in 1997. They produce cabernet sauvignon, red blends, pinot noir, syrah and chardonnay. They also have a wine club. Book in-person or virtual tastings online. 707-258-6358, misuenowinery.com

Palmaz Vineyards: Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Julio Palmaz moved to the United States in the late 1970s to pursue medical research. His passion for wine emerged as he completed his residency at the University of California, Davis. Taking inspiration from famous French wineries and using the latest in wine science, Palmaz played an integral role in designing Palmaz Vineyards’ gravity-flow winery in Napa, which doesn’t use mechanical pumps during the winemaking process. The gravity-flow design minimizes the turbulence that damages wines’ molecular structure. The winery is owned and operated by Julio, his wife, Amalia, and their three children. They produce cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, riesling, muscatel and rosé. They also have a wine club. Book in-person or virtual tastings online. 800-592-2306, palmazvineyards.com

PEJU: In 1983, Herta and Tony Peju purchased a 30 acre property in Rutherford – the site of Peju Winery today. Herta Peju was born in Austria and grew up in Venezuela. The winery is owned and operated by the Peju family. They produce cabernet sauvignon, pinor noir, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc, chardonnay, merlot, red blends and rosé. They also have a wine club. peju.com

Piña Napa Valley: The family’s history of growing grapes and making wine stretches back to their great-great-great-grandfather, Moses Stice, who settled in the Napa Valley in the 1850s. His grandson, Lafayette Stice, learned winemaking at the Harris Winery (now Martin Estates) and then went on to make wine at Brun and Chaix Winery (now Ladera). He finished his wine making career as the director of winemaking at Inglenook Winery in Rutherford. A few generations later, John Piña Jr. and his wife, Arline, started Piña Vineyard Management in the 1960sand their four sons started Piña Napa Valley in 1979. They produce cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. They also have a wine club. 707-738-9328, pinanapavalley.com

Quintessa: Agustin Huneeus is the proprietor for Quintessa, in the Napa Valley. Huneeus began working in the wine industry more than 50 years ago in his hometown of Santiago, Chile. They are open for wine tastings, by appointment only in St. Helena. They also have a wine club. 707-286-2730, quintessa.com

Rios Wine Company: Manuel Rios’ journey in the industry began at the tender age of 10 working alongside his father in the vineyards. He established Rios Farming Company, LLC in 1998, focusing on tending to the vineyards. Then in 2004, he created Rios Wine Company, LLC in St. Helena. They produce sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon. 707-965-2587, rioswinecompany.com

Scalon Cellars: Jesus Espinoza and Cruz Calderon became friends while working at Caldwell Vineyard in Napa Then, in 2010, the two decided to go into the wine business together and created Scalon Cellars in Napa.They produce cabernet sauvignon, red blend, cabernet franc, merlot, syrah rosé and sauvignon blanc. They are open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707-666-2245, scaloncellars.com

Tres Perlas: Salvador Renteria came from Jalisco, Mexico, to Northern California where he began working in the Napa Valley wine business in the 1960s. In 1987, Salvador and his wife, Luisa, established Renteria Vineyard Management in Napa Valley which their son, Oscar Renteria, and his wife, Denise, helped run. Then, Oscar bought land and created Tres Perlas, which is inspired by his three daughters. The first vintage was produced in 1997. They produce rosé, chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. They also have a wine club. 707-253-7686, tresperlas.com

Vinos Unidos: Gerry Martinez is the founder and winemaker of Vinos Unidos or United Wines in Napa. He and his family moved to the Napa Valley from Mexico at 12 years old. Martinez’s father worked in the vineyards. As he grew up, Martinez began working in wineries around the area. He along with two others own and operate the business. They produce cabernet sauvignon, red blends, pinot noir, rosé and sauvignon blanc. They also have a wine club. Book online for wine tastings and pairings. 949-482-9930, vinosunidos.com

Viader Vineyards and Winery: Born in Argentina, proprietor Delia Viader, came to the United States as a postgraduate student. She moved to California and set her sights on Napa Valley and winemaking. In the early 1980s, she bought Viader Vineyards’ current Howell Mountain property in Deer Park and the company is now a multigenerational family business. They produce cabernet, cabernet franc and red blends. It is open for wine tastings, by appointment only. 707-963-3816, viader.com

Voces Cellars: In 2002, Fernando Candelario launched Voces Cellars in the Calistoga. The wines are produced in small, boutique batches with grapes sourced locally in the Napa Valley. They produce zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah, red blends, cabernet franc, merlot, pinot noir and rosé. They also have a wine club. 707-225-2474, vocescellars.com