Today we’d like to introduce you to Roberto Espinosa.
Roberto, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The 2007 San Diego Firestorm was the catalyst that got us started. The fire burned down my wife’s parents’ home a mile from us and several buildings on the property we live at now. We learned that one of the buildings was originally a winery built in 1936 and we found ancient grapevine stumps on the hill spaced at eight by eight feet. Looking over the fertile slope we knew we had to plant a vineyard. That was 2008. We harvested our first fruit in 2011 and release the wine in 2014 – we sold out in five months and we knew then that we had to ramp up production!
We now produce about 1000 cases of small lot, single vineyard artisan wines that we pour only at the winery. New vintages are released over time, throughout the year. My wife, Noelle, and I are both scientists – my background is in microbiology and hers is in molecular biology. We use our science to help us craft award-winning wines. Travel & Leisure even named us the #6 Vineyard to visit in the U.S.! We work and live at the winery, raising our three children… maybe someday we’ll be lucky enough to pass the winery on to them (if they are up for all the hard work!).
Has it been a smooth road?
Winemaking is a multifaceted discipline that encompasses farming, industrial processes, marketing and sales. There is enough work here for about six people, but my wife and I tackle every aspect on a daily basis learning and working through the processes. Take labels, for example- “I think we should get UV Matte Varnish over the Spot Gloss on that new Estate #8 Paper to really help the emboss ‘Pop'”.
Yeah, it’s like that for everything: corks, capsules, bottles, wax, oak, stainless, pH meters, hoses, POS systems, bins, vineyards, rootstocks, scions, stemware, corkscrews, spit buckets, waterproof boots, tractor mower decks, and the list never ends. We love the challenge, though, and it makes the finished product that much more valuable to look back and think that we did it all!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are a boutique winery that specializes in wines made from grapes that we grow of Spanish origin. In additional to those grapes that we grow, we buy some of the finest grapes in California to make some of the highest quality wine available. Our focus on product quality helps us draw on the wine afficionados in Southern California and our superior customer service makes everyone feel right at home when visiting our tasting patio and wine cave.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
San Diego is definitely a beer town, but wine is classic and it provides for a better connection with mother nature- you can actually see the vines where the grapes are grown to make our wines. It is a long-term commitment to start out in the wine business, but if you have the love for wine and a passion for creation, then it is totally worth it. San Diego could help out with letting tourists know about our growing wine region.
Pricing:
- Tastings – $10, 5 wines
- Whites (glass/bottle) – $7/24
- Reds (glass/bottle) – $9/35
Contact Info:
- Address: 15360 Bandy Canyon Road
Escondido, CA 92025 - Website: www.espinosavineyards.com
- Phone: 6197720156
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Roberto Espinosa
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