Vino Latino USA and our wine celebrate the impact the proud and rich heritage that Latinos have on the wine industry. For almost a century, Latinos have helped drive an industry that has created some of the best wines in the world.
Our passion and our goal is to take that rich history of incredible wine – and deliver a product that is accessible to the three things most essential in life: family, friends and fun.
Vino Latino, like so many things Latin, was born out of passion. The passion began when Ramon Sandoval of San Mateo, California, met Becky Tyner, of Napa, California.
Becky, who is in the wine industry, would often bring wine to dinner with her and Ramon. As their relationship blossomed, so did Ramon’s relationship with wine. Whereas their dates once consisted of going to Fernando’s Mexican Restaurant in San Mateo for tequila and beer, Ramon now began to plan dates that consisted of wine and cheese pairings. Ramon, the tequila and Pacifico drinker, finally admitted one day, “I can’t drink cheap wine anymore, you’ve spoiled me, but you know, I still don’t see any Mexicans drinking wine.”
Ramon and Becky began to visit wineries owned by Latinos such as Ceja and Robledo. Ramon noticed that there were not many Latinos at these tasting rooms. This inspired him to bring Latino made wines to Latinos. He began by starting a retail company that sold wines from Latino Vintners. But he felt that there was still an under-served market for the beginner wine drinker. He partnered with a winemaker he greatly admires, Fernando Candelario, and together that have launched Vino S Vida, wine made for Latinos by Latinos.
Ramon Sandoval is a first generation Mexican-American. He was born and raised in San Mateo, California. Ramon has always been very proud of his Mexican heritage and is passing that on to his own children. Ramon’s background is in marketing and expanding Latino markets in the grocery industry. He uses his bilingual skills and experience working in the Latino market to reach the Hispanic community for Vino Latino. His passion is introducing people not only to good wine, but good wine made by Latinos right here in the USA at a price everyone can afford.
