Ludor Wines Unique Wine Style Is Crafted to Tastes of Second Generation Latino Consumers
February 4, 2026 (Sonoma, CA) — Salvador De La Cruz, Owner and Winemaker of Ludor Wines in Sonoma Valley, knows full well that the wine business is in the doldrums, but he sees a way out. He hopes to become a “door opener” to the world of wine for a vastly overlooked demographic: second generation Latinos who have education, interesting jobs, and are looking to broaden their horizons.
De La Cruz, who was selected as a rising star on Sonoma’s Wine Scene by Sonoma Magazine, (21 Rising Stars on Sonoma’s Wine Scene – Sonoma Magazine) shares experiences with these consumers and feels the wine industry has overlooked this segment for far too long. “The wine industry still views us as a labor force, but my generation has evolved into viable consumers. We work as schoolteachers, bankers, tech consultants and even wine ambassadors in wineries. We are embedded throughout the community. We have earned the chance to experience life, travel the world, and do the things our parents never could.”
De La Cruz worked alongside his father in vineyards from the age of nine. Fascinated by the process of how grapes were turned into wine, he moved to the cellar from the vineyard. Then he enrolled at Cal Poly State University where he obtained a degree in Enology and Viticulture. After graduating, he worked at renowned wineries in Napa and Sonoma, the research winery at Gallo, and wineries in New Zealand and Australia. His education and industry experiences convinced him to chase a life-long dream of starting his own wine brand. He created Ludor Wines and produced his first Cabernet Sauvignon in 2019.
That first wine was dense, extracted and aged in new oak. Critics loved it and it sold out, but his friends found it a bit intimidating. “I discovered that they didn’t appreciate big, heavily extracted wines with astringent tannins. Tasting after tasting, I found them drawn to fruit forward wines with a rich mid-palate and enough acidity for a long, clean finish. This is my generation, and I wanted to open the door to fine wine for them. They have the financial means and desire to support producers who share their backgrounds, so they were an untapped market. I decided to make the best wine possible in the style they most appreciated.
De La Cruz crafted his Ludor Wines to be more approachable, by being fruit forward with softer tannins, but still having distinct terroir influence and complexity. He focused on single vineyard wines, mostly from Weiler Vineyard in Sonoma, which is cared for by his father. Working in small lots, he has crafted Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Rosé. He even created Yuma Red, a wine named after his dog that blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Merlot done in a Nouveau style and meant to be consumed chilled. His vintages keep selling out, but he hopes to have the new 2024 wines on the market this spring. He will be releasing 2024 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2024 Cabernet Franc, and 2024 Merlot, all single vineyard designates from Weiler Vineyard.
De La Cruz is eager to increase production enough to work with a distributor and sell his wines in densely populated Latino areas. He is currently negotiating an exclusive deal with a chain of Mexican American owned grocery stores in Los Angeles. “I am convinced I have discovered an untapped market. Celebrating with friends and family is a cultural tradition and drinking is part of that tradition. Second generation Latinos are hitting their peak earning years, and they are looking to spend money on new experiences. Look at how successful the La Onda festival is. In just two years, it’s almost as successful as Bottle Rock.”
Wine Country news is filled with stories about sales dropping, tourists going elsewhere, grapes going unsold and vineyards being ripped out. It can be depressing for people in the industry, but for one young Latino winemaker in Sonoma it has created an opportunity to explore new creative marketing techniques. Salvador De La Cruz is onto something. If he catches lightning in the bottle, other parts of the industry will follow.
