Ceja Vineyards

A Tribute to My Abuelo Don Pablo Ceja during Dia De Los Muertos

Photographer Norma I. Quintana (Forget Me Not Portrait Series)

Today our familia honors our loved ones during Dia de Los Muertos. In loving memory of Don Pablo Garcia Ceja (1933 - 2024) Father of brothers and founders, Pedro and Armando Ceja.

Pablo was born in Aguililla, Michoacan, Mexico. In 1953, he married Juanita and shortly after he ventured north to Los Estados Unidos. Pablo was a non-stop, hardworking migrant farm worker with a dream to build a better future for his familia.

Through the Bracero program, he worked “Las Corridas” up and down CA to WA State for years following the harvest crop cycles of the West Coast. In the early 1960’s, while harvesting grapes in Napa Valley, Pablo fell in love with this wine growing region and knew he wanted to bring his family from Mexico and live there permanently.

In 1967 his focus and hard work ethic paid off and brought Juanita and his family to live in Napa Valley. Years later, with the help of his sons Pedro, Armando and their wives, they purchased a small plot of land in Carneros to develop and nurture their own vineyards.

Pablo is survived by his wife Juanita, 9 children, 25 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, and 1 great, great grandchild.

“In his best years, Pablo had a strong presence, like that of those legendary vineyards — hard, firm and well planted. And, like all the vineyards, he also had exceptional seasons, its harvests unforgettable, those that leave a lasting mark on all of us who are here. Although his time on earth has left we know that he leaves a great legacy. His harvest is still alive, not only in his children and grandchildren, but in each vineyard that continues to grow in the fields that he cared for so much. His spirit, his strength and his memory will continue to feed those vines, which symbolized his entire life.” -Jose Luis Castañeda

Please join me in raising a glass of Ceja wine and paying tribute to the late, Don Pablo Ceja. Today and everyday we honor and remember our loved ones that have passed on - inspiring profound impact and contributions to our lives. Muchas gracias Papa Pablo, descansa en paz, pero siempre en nuestros corazones.

Con Amor,

Dalia

Hello Gorgeous. New Ceja Vineyards Label Redesign!

We launched our wine brand in 1999 (25 years ago!) and this year we felt a fresh label redesign was in order. We’re ecstatic to share our new Ceja Vineyards label redesigns from CF NAPA Brand Design. Preserving our legacy and commitment to the wine industry in a modern yet minimalistic aesthetic was key for the direction of the new label branding.

CF Napa Brand Design notes, “Our label redesign work for Ceja Vineyards showcases a minimalistic aesthetic, aiming to achieve a clean and sophisticated appeal to accentuate the brand’s identity. The bell icon is elegantly embossed in gold foil, while the inclusion of the winery’s establishment date pays tribute to its history and unwavering dedication.”

We look forward to sharing our new vintages with the new label design with all of you. Thank you for your continued support and friendship!
We look forward to hosting you at our Sonoma Valley tasting room during the magical harvest season. Nos vemos pronto! 

 

Join Ceja Vineyards at La Onda Music Festival in Napa Valley!

We’re ecstatic to announce that Ceja Vineyards is an official wine sponsor for La Onda by BottleRock music festival!

Órale Napa Valley! Join us for an incredible weekend June 1 & June 2, 2024. This is the largest Latin music festival in Northern California and how amazing that it’s in our own backyard. We’ll have our own Ceja Vineyards wine tent and lounge selling our legendary wines from the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. We look forward to dancing, toasting and singing to Alejandro Fernandez and MANÁ with all of you! Que sigue la fiesta!

Learn more information and buy tickets here!

Ceja Vineyards Flavors of Portugal & Spain River Cruise

We’re thrilled to announce our upcoming AmaWaterways Portugal to Spain Douro River Cruise for Wine Lovers from April 5th -12th, 2025. Join us!

Save $500 per stateroom and receive an additional 5% early booking reward when reservations are made by December 31st, 2023.

Set sail in Porto, the beautiful “City of Bridges” and gateway to the Douro River Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with rambling vineyards and charming quintas, which cling to the steep sides of the river. Taste wines from these vineyards and discover the timeless traditions of Portuguese winemaking throughout your journey before visiting some of Spain’s glorious cities. Enjoy onboard award-winning cuisine pairings with stellar Ceja Vineyards wines plus much more.  

To book, contact:
Yankee Clipper Travel
Patty Hoey
(707) 365-4402
patty.hoey0505@gmail.com 

Cities & Sights
Porto → Entre-os-Rios → Régua → Lamego → Pinhão → Barca d’Alva → Vega de Terrón

Included With Your Fare
• 7-night cruise in elegantly appointed accommodations
• Unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner on board
• Regionally inspired cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients
• Sip & Sail Cocktail Hour with complimentary wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks
• Captain’s Cocktail and Gala Dinner
• Exclusive Wine Cruise features including tastings, tours and discussions
• Complimentary Wi-Fi access on board
• Small group guided shore excursions with a variety of choices and activity levels

Extra Included Features Only On Wine Cruises
• Special tours and tastings at local wineries and private cellars
• Learn about winemaking in renowned vineyards
• Onboard wine pairings with award-winning cuisine
• A wine expert who leads tastings and discussions

Wine Host Bio
Amelia Morán Ceja – Ceja Vineyards, President & Cofounder

Vineyard Worker to Award Winning Vintner Amelia Morán Ceja was born in Las Flores, Jalisco, Mexico. She immigrated to the United States in 1967 to join her father, a farmworker in Rutherford in the Napa Valley. On her first weekend, Amelia was in the vineyard, harvesting grapes alongside her family where she met her future husband Pedro Ceja. Amelia fell in love with grape growing, and throughout her teenage and college years during school vacations, she continued working in the vineyards gaining deeper understanding on viticulture and winemaking.

Amelia studied history and literature at UC San Diego, and in 1980, Amelia and Pedro were married. In 1983 Amelia with Pedro, his brother and his parents purchased their first property in Carneros in the Napa Valley. They planted their first grapes in the Carneros AVA in 1986, and Amelia, Pedro, her brother-in-law and his wife cofounded Ceja Vineyards in 1999. Today the family owns 115 acres in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

Her leadership of Ceja Vineyards is groundbreaking, as she became the first Mexican-American woman ever to be elected president of a winery in 1999, and in 2005, the California Legislature recognized Amelia as “Woman of the Year” for “breaking the glass ceiling in a very competitive business.”

A strong matriarchal tradition in her family fostered Amelia’s independent spirit, but more than anything, Amelia feels it is flavors and her experience with food that have shaped her life choices. The dynamo behind more than 150 video blogs since 2009 on preparing Mexican cuisine and pairing it with wine, has introduced thousands to new and exciting wine and food flavor combinations that are shaping and diversifying the traditional male-dominated wine industry landscape.

Under her leadership, Harvard Business School published Ceja Vineyards: Marketing to the Hispanic Wine Consumer case study, and IPADE Business School, Mexico, published Desde la adversidad: el caso de Ceja Vineyards. Both case studies are offered to executive MBA university students in the United States, Mexico and in many European countries. Additionally, Ceja Vineyards has received numerous awards including: The California Latino Legislative Caucus Latino Spirit Award.

Feliz Día De las Madres

Today is Mexican Mother's Day but at Casa Ceja we celebrate mamas everyday!

We're lucky to have 4 generations of strong Latina women in our family business. I hope everyone has a lovely Mother's Day week celebrating the strong + inspiring leading ladies in your life. Let's raise a glass of Ceja Vineyards wine and toast to boss mamas all over the world. Salud!

Love,

Amelia, Mama Juanita, Martha, Dalia and Luna Isabella

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Raise a glass of Ceja wine in honor of the beautiful, strong and impactful mamas in your life! Mother's Day is right around the corner and there is nothing more special than sharing a delicious meal accompanied with a meaningful bottle of wine with the person who raised and nurtured you.

Spoil your mama and visit our wine shop to browse our estate wine collection from Napa and Sonoma Valley. Our Sonoma wine tasting room is also open on Mother's Day. Gift a memorable wine tasting experience and make a reservation today!

Mother's day gifts | Make a reservation 

 

 

Toast to Cesar Chávez Day

A Toast to Cesar Chávez Day!

Historical bronze statue of Cesar Chávez + Dolores Huerta at Ceja Vineyards. Today celebrates the birth and legacy of the civil rights and labor movement activist Cesar Chavez. Farmworkers today are on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, feeding families in California and across the nation.

On Cesar Chavez Day, we honor him and all farmworkers that help put food on our tables and harvest our grapes to make legendary wines from Napa + Sonoma Valley. We have the utmost respect for Farmworkers (campesinos) because that is how our familia was introduced to the wine industry. Today and everyday we raise our wine glasses and toast to farmworkers all over the world.

Muchas gracias campesinos y salud!
 

Feliz Cumpleaños, Dad!

Feliz cumpleaños to one of our founders who also happens to be my dad, Pedro Ceja! 

May this year bring you a bountiful display of mariachis singing and drinking Ceja Pinot Noir in your honor (his favorite varietal). Please join me in wishing him a very happy birthday. Cheers to the coolest new abuelito (Papa Pedro) to your nine month old granddaughter, Luna Isabella.

I only hope that she inherits your love of singing and dancing to Mariachi music. Abrazos!

 

Let's Drink Ceja Wine and Have a Conversation

Pop, swirl, sniff, sip... repeat!

New year = new experiences. Schedule a personalized Ceja Vineyards virtual tasting. Stay in touch and learn about our wines, history, food + wine pairing passions and business in a fun and interactive way. We’ll drink to that!

Schedule a virtual tasting experience today!

Cheers to a healthy and positive 2021 year ahead. We look forward to toasting with you in person in the near future!

Taco Tuesdays, Vino y Mas Live with Amelia & Dalia Ceja

Dear Friends,

We're proud to announce Taco Tuesdays, Vino y Más with Amelia & Dalia Ceja streaming on Facebook Live every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. PST.

Join Amelia and Dalia this Tuesday, April 7th for the official inaugural live stream.

This dynamic duo’s dedication to ease, healthfulness, and—above all else—flavor should win a permanent place in the hearts of home cooks. They’ll discuss classic and contemporary dishes, fun wine pairings and give snippets of their down-home family life. 

The first delicious recipe that will be showcased is Amelia’s Tacos de Camarones con Salsa de Mango (Savory Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa) paired with our zesty Sauvignon Blanc and opulent Chardonnay so be sure to tune in this coming Tuesday, April 7th at 7:00 p.m.

If you aren’t already a facebook follower, now is a great time to link up and stay connected. Please also share this blog post with your family and friends.

Come hungry and thirsty amigos.

-Team Ceja