Ceja wines reflect Hispanic culture and contributions

When 12-year-old Amelia Ceja, president of Ceja Vineyards in Napa, came to the area there were 14 wineries. Today there are over 400.

“My father was a migrant farmworker from Jalisco and he fell in love with the Napa Valley,” she said. “I did too and I had an epiphany and I knew I would do something with wines some day.”

She and her family bought land in the early 1980s and realized there was no going back. They planted Pinot noir grapes in 1986 and produced the first wines in 2001

“It was a little like giving birth to a fourth child,” she said. “We believe wine must be compatible with foods and we have the sexiest Cabernet in Napa.”

The winery continues to expand into new territory with a bicultural cooking show, set to launch in July, called “Salud Napa.” It will feature bloggers and serve as a social networking site. Ceja Vineyards recently opened a wine lounge in downtown Napa. Each Saturday night general manager Ariel Ceja teaches salsa dancing from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The class is free and a dance party follows.

“This afternoon we will take part in a downtown Napa celebration of Cinco de Mayo, Mexican culture and the contributions Latinos have made to the Napa area,” he said. “Jalisco mariachis and specialty foods will liven the evening that kicks off at 4 p.m.”

Ceja Winery will pour two wines for the event: “Vino de Casa white (a blend of Pinot Grigio, Semillion and Viognier); and “Vino de Casa” red (a blend Pinot noir, Syrah and Merlot. Ariel calls them the “breakfast, lunch and dinner” wines of the house.

“There are over 25 Latino owned wineries in the area,” he said. “There would be no Napa if not for the contributions of immigrant work force. This is not only the contributions of Hispano workers but many others cultures came together to weave this ‘Liquid Art’ we call wine.”

Amelia Ceja is the first Mexican-American woman to be president of a wine production company in the history of “New World” Hispanic wines. She was invited to Washington for the recent Presidential Inauguration and poured Ceja wines at one of the events.

“We aren’t just making wine, we are making top notch wines,” she said. “It involves a lot of challenges but having the need to succeed is a definite advantage.Education gives you mobility and that is the message we all want to get over to the young Hispanic men and women who are considering this path.

“Our wines speak louder than anything we can say.”