Webinar Will Feature Discussion with Mexican-American Winemakers of Sonoma County
SANTA ROSA, California – April 29, 2020 – Skip the margaritas and grab a glass of wine on Cinco de Mayo as Sonoma County Vintners hosts a virtual happy hour to highlight a group of Sonoma County Mexican-American vintners who help make Sonoma County what it is today, a world-class wine region. The panel will be held via Zoom on May 5, 2020 at 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST.
Meet winemakers who produce a variety of wines from all different areas of Sonoma County’s 18 American Viticultural Areas (AVA). Panelists will include Humberto Berlanga of The Family Coppola, Cecilia Enriquez of Enriquez Estate Wines, Theresa Heredia of Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery and Ana Keller of Keller Estate. Each panelist will share their personal story and information about the winery they represent. During this happy hour they will also share their AVA location they work in, what it is known for and what varietals they enjoy producing.
Each panelist brings their own unique background and flare to the virtual table.
- Berlanga was born and raised in downtown Mexico City and moved to Northern California after teaching chemistry and working in the biomedical industry. Now, he is an Associate Winemaker for the Family Coppola, based in Alexander Valley.
- Enriquez and her family moved to California in 2011 after visiting for a family vacation and made the long-term decision to invest in an established vineyard in the heart of the Petaluma Wind Gap.
- Heredia was a Ph.D candidate at U.C. Davis and left to follow her calling as a hands-on winemaker. Today she specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from some of the top vineyard sites in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast.
- Keller was born and raised in Mexico City, where she studied Biochemistry at the prestigious Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Today, she is part of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance’s board and was instrumental in creating the Petaluma Gap AVA.
The panel will be moderated by Vanessa Renée, Events Director at Sonoma County Vintners, who is also of Mexican-American descent. Panelists will discuss what brought them to Sonoma County and their experience within the world of wine. Participants are excited to share their personal stories, allow viewers to learn more about Sonoma County and why they are passionate about living and working in the area. This unique virtual happy hour will not only celebrate the culture of Sonoma County, but offer insights to the audience surrounding new wineries and allow individuals to learn more about their favorite vineyards.
To attend the event, RSVP via zoom at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_v3ACIxm2RW2v1dSn-M7mpQ or https://tinyurl.com/y8pk5yw2. Individuals who are interested in promoting the event are encouraged to use the following hashtags: #SonomaWine #MexicanAmerican and listeners will be able to ask questions during the happy hour.
About Sonoma County Vintners
Sonoma County Vintners is the leading voice f Sonoma County wine, dedicated to raising awareness of Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier wine regions which was named Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2019. Sonoma County Vintners represents over 260 wineries throughout the county. The organization actively promotes Sonoma County through educational programming; advocates for its members at local, state and federal levels; and contributes to the local communities through our Sonoma County Vintners Foundation. Sonoma County Wine Auction, its annual fundraiser, has raised over $36 million benefitting non-profit organizations throughout the region. To learn more about Sonoma County Vintners, visit sonomawine.com.
