Many wineries in the Napa and Sonoma valleys are family owned – but Ceja Vineyards is more than just family-owned and run, it is part of the Ceja family.
Brothers Pedro and Armando Ceja have been working the Napa Valley since emigrating from Mexico as children. They quickly fell in love with the land and with wine making; and their dream became building a world-class winery of their own.
As founder, Pedro pulled together the pieces. His wife, Ameila, provides the drive as President. His daughter, Dalia, keeps the winery current with the times as the Director of Sales & Marketing. As Winemaker, Armando has the task of making “the grapes speak for themselves.”
With the collaboration of family and friends, Ceja Vineyards has grown to include four vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, and Petaluma (growing six varietals) and a wine tasting salon in downtown Napa. Pedro believes that “the beauty and mysticism of wine is that its basic elements – grapes and wild yeast – converge naturally to make itself. Our job as farmers and winemakers is simply to assist Mother Nature.” With that mindset, how could they fail?
Because winemaking requires the skills of many, every interested member of the family has a role to play. And, after over 20 years in business, Pedro is confident that when the next generation takes over, Ceja Vineyards will continue to advance and excel.
Ceja President, Ameila, has been pairing wine and traditional Mexican food since before joining the Ceja family. The family’s pride in their kitchen shows in the dedicated Recipes page on their website (www.cejavineyards.com) and their public events.
Ceja’s first Lobster Feed is sure to be another jewel in the Ceja crown of wine and food pairing events. On Saturday, August 10th, come to a fiesta like no other featuring: fresh Maine lobster, prawns, grilled corn, artichokes, Louisiana hot links, red potatoes, sour baguette, and ice cream sandwiches. The entire spread paired with – of course – Ceja Vineyards wines!