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Spice

A hard-earned harvest

A new generation of wine makers
keep it All in the Robledo Family.

By Joy Lanzendorfer

When Reynaldo Robledo’s children were young, he started teaching them everything he knew about tending grapevines—which, by then, was a lot. In 1968, when Robledo first came to California from Michoacan, Mexico as a 16-year-old migrant worker, he decided he wanted to own a California vineyard. From that day on, he learned everything he could about grape growing.
During the day, he tried to be the fastest worker in the fields and at night, he experimented, growing grapevines in pots in the backyard and grafting the roots of different varietals. Soon, he had invented 13 grafting techniques that were so successful, his employers sent him to demonstrate them in Paris. Some 14 years after his arrival in the U.S. he bought 13 acres of vines in Napa and formed his own vineyard management company.
But it wasn’t until 1997, 29 years after setting his goal, that he sold the first bottle of Robledo wine. And, in 2003, Robledo Family Winery opened its tasting room in Sonoma, California. It is one of the first wineries owned by a former Mexican migrant worker. Robledo, his wife Maria, and their nine children—seven boys and two girls—run the winery. Even their winemaker, Rolando Herrera, is part of the family: He is married to daughter Lorena.
“We all have our responsibilities,” says Vanessa Robledo, president of the winery. “Some of us are in sales, some farm the vineyards, some distribute the wine. Even my 13-year-old brother Emiliano goes out and scares the birds away from the crops.”
Robledo Family Winery is thriving. The wines regularly win awards and are served in restaurants nationwide. This year, they produced 12,000 cases of wine, up from 100 cases in 1997. And the initial 13 acres of grapevines have grown into 220 acres in Sonoma, Napa and Lake counties.
The winery also promotes pairing wine with Latin food. At winery events, Maria Robledo creates tasting menus of Mexican dishes from her pueblo in Michoacan, which are paired with Robledo wine for guests.
However, when the winery first approached Mexican restaurants to sell their wine, they encountered some difficulty. Most people, they found, thought only beer and margaritas went with Mexican food.
“We had a lot of doors slammed in our face because of that,” says Vanessa. “But wine goes with all food. You can’t have a better beverage to go with food. It’s just learning what type of wine goes with what type of food.”
With no luck on the West Coast, Vanessa started looking into the East Coast, where well-known chefs were experimenting with Latin flavors. Soon, top New York restaurants such as Mesa Grill and Pampano started serving Robledo wine. Next, Jennifer Lopez’s restaurant Madre’s, in Pasadena, took up the wine.
Food is one of several ways the winery celebrates Mexican culture. From the tasting-room furniture that was hand-carved in Michoacan to the benefit dinners they host to aid today’s migrant workers, Hispanic culture is something the Robledo family deliberately emphasizes. To them it’s not just their past, it’s their future.
“My dad had only a third grade education in Mexico, but he and my Mom are some of the smartest people I know,” says Vanessa. “They raised us to honor our heritage. Because, really, the only thing they brought with them to this country is their culture and their memories.”

Wine Pairing Recomendations

Seven Brothers Sauvingon Blanc, Lake County, California, 2004
A refreshing tartness with a flavor of apples and figs. Good with ceviche.

Robledo Chardonnay,
Los Carneros, California, 2003
Well-bodied with the rich flavor of peaches and oranges and a subtle oak finish. Pair with empanadas de pollo.

Robledo Pinot Noir,
Los Carneros, California, 2003
Rich and fruity with the flavors of strawberries, raspberries and oak. Pair with sopa de carnitas.

Robledo Merlot,
Los Carneros, California, 2002
Rich, full and complex with a well-balanced finish. Pair with chiles rellenos con mole chipotle.