I grew up around small business owners, and my company works with hundreds of them. Most of them are driven by a love for work and a wish to move beyond their humble beginnings. The hope of “rags to riches” is a huge motivation and is truly an all-American dream.
Rolando Herrera is the living definition of that dream.
Rolando and his parents left Mexico and came to the United States when he was a young boy. Settling in Napa Valley, Rolando was raised around the wine industry. As a teenager he took every job he could find: dishwasher at Auberge du Soleil, line cook at Mustards Grill, and later a laborer at Stags Leap Wine Cellars. The money was necessary, but just as importantly was his keen love for work.
Rolando Herrera of Mi Sueno Winery
It was at Stags Leap when his big break occurred. Barely old enough to even drink the wine, but showing an incredible palate that allowed him to identify each part of the estate by taste alone, Rolando became the Cellar Master and held that position for 7-years. He eventually became Assistant Winemaker at Chateau Potelle, then Winemaker at Vine Cliff Winery, and then Director of Winemaking at Paul Hobbs Consulting. Not bad for an immigrant kid from Mexico!
While at Paul Hobbs he started Mi Sueno Winery, which means “My Dream”. It was originally a side project for Rolando but it has grown into a successful winery and produces outrageously good wines. Served at the White House several times, Mi Sueno has become a great American success story.
I met Rolando a few years ago at a tasting in our local wine retailer. He struck me as honest, kind, and family oriented. I liked him immediately and was especially struck by how hard he seemed to work. Rolando is involved in every aspect of the winemaking — from the planting of the vineyard, the management of the vineyard, the harvest, the crush, the bottling, and the marketing. He passionately believes in controlling the entire process so he can stand by his wines. It pays off in a big way.
It took some doing, but I talked Rolando and his marketing director, Tom Bracamontes, into hosting a wine dinner at our golf club in Tahoe. It was a tremendous success for everybody. My fellow members loved the wine and collectively placed one of the larger orders Mi Sueno has had for an event like this. For D’Aun and me, it was fun to sit next to Rolando and get to know him. A family man with deeply held values, Rolando and I chatted about how to grow a business without losing ourselves to the business. It was a wonderful evening.
Mi Sueno produces several wines, and it is one of the few wineries that I can endorse with a thumbs up to every one of their products. The Cabernet Sauvignon is incredible. Their red table wine, El Llano, is superb. The Syrah, Chardonnay, and Rose are all very good. The Pinot Noir … well, I don’t care for Pinot, so I’ll let you judge. Folks who like Pinot tell me it is very good.
Angelo's new favorite wine!
How good are these wines? A while back D’Aun and I traveled to Italy. Our Rome tour guide, Angelo Amorico of Oprah Magazine fame, took us to the favorite spots of the rich and famous. He clearly loved great wine and great food, so we enjoyed several meals with him and gladly accepted his restaurant recommendations. The two lunches we had with him were big enough to feed a small army! We gave him a bottle of 2007 El LLano as a thank you gift, but we figured his Italian bias would dismiss the unique Napa taste of the wine. Much to our surprise, a few weeks later D’Aun received a note from Angelo asking where he could buy more! Mi Sueno wines are so good even Italians fall for it.
Being from Napa Valley, the wines of Mi Sueno are not inexpensive. But if you are looking for a special wine with a great story, this is at the top of my list. It would be perfect for your Christmas dinner.