(relaxed guitar music) - [Dina] There's not very many Latino vineyards or wineries.

(relaxed guitar music) We are Latino, and so, we really wanted to focus on something that reflected who we are... (relaxed guitar music) And to also put it out there to our people because the people that are working in agriculture making this amazing wine and taking care of our vineyards are Latinos.

(relaxed guitar music) - It just gives us a bigger appreciation for all the people that do that day in, day out.

(relaxed guitar music) - And so, we're excited to be the owners of Vino De Oro Vineyard and Winery.

(relaxed guitar music) (gentle piano music) The vineyard looks great, but, you know, every time I'm walking up this steep slope, I wonder, why did we plant on a steep slope?

(John laughing) - We should have bought the flat ground, but that's what makes the grape so good, right?

- [Narrator] Fine wine takes time.

That's something husband and wife John Avila and Dina Santos have kept in mind as they've grown their vineyard and winery, Vino De Oro.

- Our vineyards are in El Dorado County, in an area that is designated as being renowned for the soil and for the ability to grow good quality grapes for wine.

(grape plant snapping) - 90% of great wine is great grapes.

(upbeat orchestral music) We pick the fruit in the fall, crush it, press it, ferment it... (upbeat orchestral music) Then we put in a barrel and let it do its job for a year, two years, and then, we keep them in the bottle for another year or two years before we release them.

(upbeat orchestral music) (wine pouring) - So we focus mainly on Spanish varietals.

(relaxed guitar music) Spanish wines are generally kind of lighter, more elegant, smooth wines.

Not only are the Spanish wines that way, I think, innately, but we make the wines the way we like them, the way we wanna drink wine.

(relaxed guitar music) - I don't think we're terribly similar, I mean, I'm definitely bossy, I'll just admit it.

(laughs) I'm bossy and John is very patient, so that probably works really well together.

- So when she tells me, "Go in the brewery..." "Vineyard, it needs to be pruned," I'm like, "Okay."

- I do get things done and John will attest to that.

(laughs) - Yeah.

- Pick your weapon.

(relaxed guitar music) (John laughing) - No, my weapon is this.

- You like this one?

Okay.

- I think you've got a little bit of ying and yang.

It works.

(laughs) I think the grapes are gonna be really good quality this year, even though they came early.

When we bought the property, the plan was just to have a area where we could escape our jobs.

(gentle orchestral music) We love the wine business, but we both have our day job, so my day job is a...

I'm a criminal defense attorney.

- So I've been in IT for all my adult life, pretty much.

Currently, I'm working with the Department of Technology here in the state of California.

We should start seeing the different colors in the vineyard.

- Oh, I love the fall in the vineyard, it's so beautiful.

This job helps me with my day job of being a federal criminal-defense attorney because it's stressful, you know, people are trusting you with their lives, literally, and, you know, here, working in the vineyard, it's kind of an escape for me.

It's a good balance with those two worlds.

(gentle orchestral music) - [Narrator] So just how did an attorney and an IT professional learn the art of wine-making?

They credit their wine-making neighbors, who they quickly befriended.

- And then, before you knew it, we were helping out our friends at their vineyards and wineries, and taking care of their tasting room or helping them at special events.

- And it came to the point where we were like, "Hey, we've done everything, we've done the growing, we've done the picking, we've done the making-the-wine, marketing, selling it, might as well do it ourselves, we have the land, and we're young, so let's go for it."

- [Narrator] They went for it in 2013, planting their first vines with the help of their family and friends.

(upbeat orchestral music) It wasn't until 2019 that the winery was officially established, but the road to success is rarely easy.

Opening a tasting room was anything but smooth for these two.

They had secured a spot at the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg, a popular hub for boutique wineries, but their timing?

(upbeat orchestral music) - In March of 2020, so perfect timing, right?

- [Person] The World Health Organization officially declares the outbreak a pandemic.

- [Person] The whole population of California are under new orders tonight.

- We direct a statewide order for people to stay at home.

(upbeat orchestral music) - So that was a big challenge to get it off the ground.

- But, you know, luckily for us, fine wine ages perfectly, so it all worked out in the end.

- Thank you everyone for coming out to the Old Sugar Mill.

Meet one of our newest members here, Vino De Oro.

(people cheering) - [People] Three, two, one!

(people cheering) - I have no regrets going on this journey.

I think it's been, you know, a lot of work, but we are one of the few Latino-owned vineyards and wineries in California, so that motivates me to succeed because there should be more of us.

(upbeat orchestral music) - And what motivates me, really, is just the excitement and happiness that we bring to our customers.

- [Dina] She was the first one that started it all here at Vino De Oro.

- We basically put our...

Literally our blood, sweat and tears into growing the grapes, making the wine, and to be able to serve it to them and see that immediate feedback?

(indistinct) That's motivating.

- Yeah, I definitely think makes it all worth it.

(upbeat orchestral music) - [John] So I think we're gonna have a great vintage.

- [Dina] I think so.

(upbeat orchestral music) Another great vintage.

- [John] Another great vintage.