[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8136]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING MALDONADO FAMILY VINEYARDS

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                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 19, 2017

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jose 
Guadalupe and Hugo Maldonado, co-founders of Maldonado Family 
Vineyards. Their hard work and dedication to the art of viticulture is 
evident in their carefully crafted single-vineyard wines.
  Guadalupe, or `Lupe' as he is warmly referred to, immigrated to the 
United States in 1962 from the small farming community of Atacheo de 
Regalado in Michoacan, Mexico, where he managed his family's goat herd 
in the mountains. In 1971, while working for Sterling Vineyards, Lupe 
was asked to aid in the development of a winery for vintner Peter 
Newton, where he served as vineyard manager for over thirty years. 
Inspired by his father's work in the field, Hugo pursued a formal 
education in enology and viticulture at the University of California 
Davis. Hugo succeeded his father in his role as vineyard manager in 
1999.
  In 2007 Lupe and Hugo broke ground on a small hillside just outside 
of Calistoga and began to form the family's own wine caves and 
winemaking facility to establish Maldonado Family Vineyards. In their 
13 years, the facility has grown from 250 cases to more than 10,000 
cases of wine. Together Hugo and Lupe shaped Maldonado Family Vineyards 
to reflect their family history. On their label the words `Farm Worker' 
can be found to note the family's decades of caring for and tending to 
vines.
  Hugo traveled to Washington, D.C. this week as part of a group of 
Mexican-American vintners to support the mission of the Smithsonian 
Institution. They shared their amazing stories of immigration, 
sacrifice and determination and helped the attendees understand the 
vital contributions Mexican Americans make to our economy and 
community.
  Mr. Speaker, Lupe and Hugo Maldonado have cultivated a winery which 
not only reflects their family history and Mexican American heritage, 
but honors the skilled laborer. I am proud to have such dedicated 
business owners living and working in our community. It is therefore 
fitting and proper that we honor them here today.

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