Maria Robledo

Maria, a native of Michoacán, Mexico, is not only the mother of Vanessa and her eight siblings but also a crucial contributor to the growth of her family businesses. Most notably, she is recognized for opening an entirely new Latin wine market. In 1997, she co-founded Robledo Family Winery with her former husband, Reynaldo. Together, they established the first winery in the United States owned by Mexican vineyard workers. 

Maria married Reynaldo in 1970 after he had worked his way up to the position of vineyard foreman in Sonoma County. Two years later, she followed her heart and joined her new husband in America. She left behind her parents, siblings, and the small village of Santiagillo, Michoacán, Mexico. With her came cherished traditions and delicious family recipes passed down through several generations of women in her family. Maria possesses an exceptional talent in the kitchen, capable of transforming simple ingredients into extraordinary meals. Cooking excellence runs in her family, with generations before her renowned for their traditional Mexican dishes. Maria also introduced her mole to Thanksgiving festivities (instead of traditional gravy). To tone down the spices that mole is well-loved for, she pairs part of the dinner with an oaked Chardonnay.

It is through her culinary talent that she perfectly paired food and wine at the Robledo Family Winery. Today, Maria takes pleasure in farming her own vineyards in Napa and Sonoma and cultivates Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in the cooler regions of Los Carneros and Sonoma Coast. She proudly shares her recipes and cooking demonstrations with granddaughter, Jocelyn and daughter, Vanessa at Vintner’s Diary.