• Celebrating Hispanic Roots

A Small Group of Oregon Wineries Honoring the Roots that Bring Us Together & Move Us Forward

We are a small group of Oregon winery owners and winemakers who share a Hispanic background and have come together to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th, 2023 in order to share our stories, display the diversity of the Hispanic cultures which span most of Latin America and Spain, and as small business owners give back to the Spanish-speaking community in Oregon. Each of our wineries will be offering special wine selections during Hispanic Heritage Month and 10% of ticket and bottle sales will be donated to ¡Salud!

.

As part of our celebration we will be partnering with Chef Javier Santos to hold two beautiful five-course dinners at Subterra Kitchen and Cellar on Sunday, September 17th and Sunday, October 15th. A portion of the proceeds will also be donated by Chef Javier Santos to ¡Salud! We hope you will join us! 


Learn more about Celebrating Hispanic Roots by visiting our press page

Elena Rodriguez & Leo Rodriguez

Alumbra Cellars

Born and raised in Yamhill County Elena & her brother Baudelio Jr. Rodriguez (Leo) graduated from Dayton High School and went their separate ways to graduate from The University of Oregon and Oregon State University, respectively. The Rodriguez family didn’t grow up in the wine industry. Their father Baudelio Rodriguez Sr. planted the family vineyard in 2005. Like many immigrants he journeyed to the United States in the 1970’s from Durango, Mexico in search of a better life. He met his wife in Oregon and they were married in 1978 and decided to raise their family in Oregon.

Today their parents still live on the family estate vineyard, but now the family business is ran by their daughter Elena Rodriguez President & Winemaker for Alumbra Cellars. Elena is the lead viticulturist, winemaker, and tasting room manager. Alumbra’s vision is to share two important aspects to the community, their Mexican roots and love of being Oregon born and raised. Leo is in charge of business development, finance and compliance. He is married and has three boys who love to spend time at the family vineyard. You can find Leo and his family during harvest picking fruit and delivering it to your winery.

Ximena Orrego

Atticus Wine

Atticus Wine is a family-owned micro-boutique producer of beautiful and distinctive Pinot Noir in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of the Willamette Valley. Founded in 2005, it is the ongoing journey of love and dedication of Ximena Orrego and her husband Guy Insley. Ximena was born in Peru and grew up in Venezuela, Panama and Guatemala. After university in Canada she moved to Florida, where she met Guy. It was there that they tasted their first Oregon Pinot Noir and decided to visit the Willamette Valley on vacation. Before their trip was over, they had placed a bid on their property – their future had been sealed. They built their family home among the vines, creating a place where they can watch their children grow, be connected with the vineyard and coexist with nature. After many vintages learning, first as harvest intern and then actively working in the cellar, Ximena is now the winemaker for their wines. Her Latin American roots are part of her essence - key to who she is today, their wines and their business. (Photo credit: Carolyn Wells Kramer)

Carla Rodriguez

Beacon Hill Winery

The youngest of five kids, Carla was born and raised in the Northern Mexican city of Torreón in the State of Coahuila. She moved to the US to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees, which led to a job in high tech in Oregon. Shortly thereafter, she and her husband (George Hillberry) established Beacon Hill Winery & Vineyard in 2011. Located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, Beacon Hill was the natural progression to their family’s existing vineyard properties (La Colina & La Sierra) in the Dundee Hills where they have been growing award-winning Pinot Noir since 1999.

Carla is responsible for overseeing daily operations of the tasting room, events, and guest accommodations at Beacon Hill Winery and continues to work full time as an executive in high tech, where she is also active in the Latinx Leadership Council, mentors other women and men and in 2012 was recognized by Hispanic Association for Corporate Responsibility (HACR) as a high-potential Hispanic at a Fortune 500 earning the Young Hispanic Corporate Achiever award.

Sofia Torres

Cramoisi Vineyard

Sofía Torres-McKay, Co-Owner of Cramoisi Vineyard / Winery and Co-Founder of AHIVOY (Asociación Hispana de la Industria del Vino en Oregon Y Comunidad), a Mom of two boys, business woman, wine maker, passionate wine grower and a prominent activist for Vineyard Stewards. Born in Mexico City, Sofía worked 19 years in the tech industry before taking the lead of her small family business in 2017. She moved to the United States in 2002 to pursue her career in corporate business. In 2011, Sofía and her husband Ryan McKay both invested their money and took a chance on 10 acres of property in the Dundee Hills of Oregon. They start planting their vines in 2012 and started living their dream making small lots of boutique Pinot Noir, Rosé of Pinot noir, Blanc de noirs and Chardonnay.

Sofía continues to be a passionate steward for diversity in the wine industry and teaches her vineyard stewards the importance of Organic and Biodynamic farming. In 2020, she got recognized as a Wine Industry leader honoring the changemakers and influencers by Wine Business Monthly. Sofia was appointed to the Regional Solutions Advisory Committee–Mid Willamette Valley, an active board member of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, and AHIVOY. When she is not working, she spends time with her family and of course her lovely dog “Lava”. She grows dahlias and lavender as a hobby, loves cooking and kick boxing. Her favorite thing to do is to go for a walk to the beach. (Photo credit: Ingrid Franz Moriarty)

Sam Parra

Parra Wine Co.

PARRA Wine Co was established in 2019 by proprietor Sam Parra. His last name is a Spanish and Portuguese surname meaning grapevine or trellis. Born and raised in St. Helena, CA, he was destined to be in the wine industry. Sam's family came to Napa Valley through work visas to pursue their dreams. After 15 years in the wine industry through Napa and Sonoma counties, he moved to the Willamette Valley in the summer of 2016. Through previous business trips Sam first visited this beautiful valley in 2000. PARRA Wine Co will remain a boutique, hand crafted wine producer. Over the years he has cultivated friendships with highly respected growers. Sam will showcase single vineyard wines from the great state of Oregon, SALUD!!

Adrian Cornejo

Nueva Aventura Wines

JWe are Adrian and Hernan Cornejo, two first generation Mexican American brothers born and raised in Hood River OR. Our parents are from San Juan De Los Lagos, Jalisco, Mexico. Our parents migrated to the US in the mid 70’s. Growing up we helped our dad farm pear and apple orchards for many years. Over time the orchards were torn down and a vineyard and winery were built. This vineyard was known as Pheasant Valley Winery. Our family worked in the vineyard and eventually as we grew older, cellar work was the next thing to explore. For over 20 years we shadowed and learned from various winemakers and farm to land specialists.

Our project, Nueva Aventura (New Adventure) was founded in 2016. We believe in the old world ways and sometimes taking a few steps back from all the advancements of today’s world. We focus on a Natural winemaking style. Our project grows and sources organic fruit from around the Columbia River Gorge and its surrounding AVAs including Washington state. This gives us an array of farming techniques like biodynamic and more natural regenerative farming. The land varies in climate, soils, variety of fruit and allows for creativity to make our version of unique wine.

Cristina Gonzales

Gonzales Wine Company

Cristina Gonzales is the granddaughter of migrant farm workers from Texas who moved to Wisconsin in search of a better life. In 2001, while backpacking through Argentina, Cristina fell in love with the grape, Malbec. She returned to the United States and spent a decade learning the craft through hands-on experience of internships and wine production positions around California, Oregon, Tasmania, and Australia. In 2009, she moved back to Oregon and landed a position at REX HILL/A to Z Wineworks in the Willamette Valley. It was here that Gonzales Wine Company was born. Cristina founded Gonzales Wine Company in 2010 to celebrate the inspiration behind that first glass of Argentinian Malbec. Her approach to winemaking centers around an appreciation for the vineyard stewards tending the vines, respect for the land, a minimalist approach to creating big red wines and aromatic white wines, and the beauty of her Mexican heritage. She lives in Portland with her son Julian and their Blue Heeler, Bean.

Lizzy Esqueda

Mijita Wine Company

Lizzy Esqueda was born and raised just outside Los Angeles, and has roots from Southern Spain, and Chihuahua, Mexico. "Mija" or "Mijita", a term of endearment in Spanish meaning "my daughter" or "my little daughter", is what the older relatives in her family have always called her.

At 21, she moved to New York City and became curious about wine while working in restaurants and bars in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
She studied at the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, worked as a sommelier, and while managing an urban winery & wine bar, discovered she preferred getting her hands dirty with wine. In 2012, she came to Willamette Valley and worked her first Oregon harvest at Stoller Family Estate.

In 2013 she worked harvest in South Australia and moved to Oregon to start her winemaking career. Over the last decade, she's had the opportunity to work with some of her favorite winemakers, and in 2021, founded Mijita Wine Co.
Lizzy's thrilled to continue doing what she loves, learning how to run a small business, and proud to create a brand that deeply respects and appreciates who she considers the real winemakers to be- the vineyard stewards.

Patricia Dobbes

Iterum Wines

Co-founder of Iterum Wines and wife of Joe, is Patricia Dobbes. Patricia was born on the Caribbean coast of Colombia in Sincelejo. She received her degree in law from the University Externado of Colombia in Bogotá. In 1999 the political situation in her country compelled her to make the difficult decision to move to the United States. Here she found support from her family, friends and the government. In 2010, after 11 years of residency, Patricia was granted American citizenship. She became enthralled with the Willamette Valley wine industry soon after immigrating to Florida and later, Oregon’s Umpqua Valley. In 2002 Patricia came to Salem, Oregon to visit her sister where she met her husband Joe Dobbes. He introduced her to the world of Pinot Noir. As Patricia would say in her language, “El Amor por el Pinot Noir”.

Since meeting Joe, Patricia has been in the wine industry. At Joe and Patricia’s original project, Dobbes Family Estate, Patricia worked in the Tasting Room as the Hospitality Ambassador. Today, Patricia wears many hats at Iterum, from hospitality, accounting, sorting fruit, vineyard pruning and barrel topping. When visiting the estate today, you’ll often find her hiking through the vineyard. She says that her soul and heart are infused in this land here at the Orchard House Estate

Aurora Coria

Coria Estates

Aurora is the daughter of Luis and Janice Coria, the owners of Coria Estates. As a bi-cultural family, the story of Luis & Janice begins from separate family heritages and cultural backgrounds. Luis Coria was born and raised in Michoacan, Mexico spending his early years helping his father grow vegetables and tend to the family livestock. He spent several years working near their family home, by the time he was 14 he ventured further seeking better opportunities and eventually found himself living in Oregon. Janice grew up in northern Idaho and had a normal small town upbringing. In the spring of 1979, while visiting family in Oregon, Janice and Luis met. By 1981 Luis and Janice were married and by 1985 had welcomed two baby girls to the family! Life sped by, but Luis still had a need to get back to his roots of farming.

In 1988 they purchased their first piece of property, a small 9 acre parcel which became the family home and later the original site of the family vineyard. Over the years Luis and Janice had grown a Christmas tree farm and a reforestation business, then in early 1997 the neighboring property became available, they decided to take the chance and put down more roots into the Southern Willamette Valley. In the winter of 1999 they planted their first Pinot noir and Pinot gris vines. Now these many years later the vineyard is a mature 104 acres.

Aurora grew up helping her folks working in the vineyard and behind the scenes in the administrative side of owning a vineyard, tree farm and reforestation business. She didn’t always know she wanted to be a winemaker, but when her mom prompted her with the question, “Maybe it’s time to start our own label?” At that moment the choice was so obvious! Rori was working in Public Health in Portland Oregon at that time; which had been her first passion; but that conversation with her family was the beginning of an entire life change. Rori decided to go back to school and study Winemaking, and in a few short years, Coria Estates had their first crush under label in 2013!

Aurora started her career in winemaking in 2011. She studied at the Northwest Wine Studies Center, and has interned at Oregon wineries, as well as studied winemaking and worked a vintage abroad in Tasmania, Australia. She believes in being hands off stylistically in the winery and letting the fruit speak for itself. She believes that if you manipulate a wine too much, you lose the natural essence of the fruit you started with.

Juan Pablo (J.P) Valot - Husband, Father, Winemaker, Vineyard Manager, Owner of Valcan Cellars

Valcan Cellars

JP was born in Mendoza, Argentina, which is most known as Argentina’s wine country. JP comes from a multi-generational line of wine entrepreneurs. He completed a five year degree in agricultural sciences, with a focus in enology and viticulture at the National University of Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina. In 2001, he came to Oregon looking for new challenges and attracted by Oregon’s growing wine industry. In 2002, he met his wife Doris and both decided to settle in Oregon.
JP has over 20 years of experience in winemaking with vintages worked in Oregon and Argentina, including time at Willamette Valley Vineyards, Soter Vineyards, Dobbes Family Estate, Elizabeth Chambers Cellars and Silvan Ridge.
JP started his own project, Valcan Cellars, with his wife Doris back in 2012. Craving to grow his own grapes for Valcan Cellars, he took over Rainbow’s End Vineyard in 2013 and later in 2016, Mountain View Vineyard. Both vineyards are located in Monroe. Juan Pablo was appointed by the Governor to the Oregon Wine Board in 2012 and served as chairman of the Oregon Wine Standing Committee on Research until 2018. He is a well-rounded wine professional who understands Oregon's wine industry and the winemaking process from the vine to glass.

Javier & Stephanie Santos - Owners

Subterra Kitchen and Cellar

Growing up in Guatemala, Javier learned that hospitality and sharing food with one’s guests is one of the most important things you can do. No matter who you are or where you come from, the gift of hospitality was demonstrated time and again. This idea, so ingrained in his identity, is the driving force behind SubTerra.

This is one of the things that Javier and his wife Stephanie came to appreciate about each other, how much life happens over a meal! No matter where you are in the world, life happens around the table. From the everyday, to the great moments in life, they want SubTerra to be a place where people come together to create new memories, connect with each other, to celebrate and be celebrated, nurture relationships, and foster community over a great meal.
Javier started his journey at Fenouil in downtown Portland, and has spent the past 15+ years working in the Portland area, learning and developing the skills that eventually would let him to the Willamette Valley to give new life to SubTerra.

Celebration Dinners at Subterra Kitchen and Cellar

Join us Sunday, September 17th or Sunday, October 15th for a beautiful five-course dinner at Subterra Kitchen and Cellar in Newberg.

When: Sunday, September 17th or October 15th

Time: 5pm

Location: Subterra Kitchen and Cellar in Newberg

Tickets: $125 per person

Skip to content Top