The average wine lover likely wouldn’t know the name Rafael Rodiguez. But he was well known to many in the Napa Valley wine business. Rafael was the first Mexican Vineyard Manager in Napa Valley. That was major. He worked for John Daniel Jr at Inglenook as well as Francis Ford Coppola at Inglenook. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. Rafael was born in Mexico City and came to the United State to work and his path eventually led him to wine. Rafael passed away in December of 2021. I was lucky to interview Rafael in 2010 and it was a memorable experience. This is his podcast from thirteen years ago. I hope you enjoy his story.

Rafael Rodriguez 1920-2021

Written by Ray Fister

Comments are closed.