Mauricio was born and raised in Sonoma County. He is a fourth-generation farmer who gained an early appreciation for the land, he began working with his father in the vineyards in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley at the age of 14.
After a decade of dedicated service at the renowned Beckstoffer Vineyards in Napa Valley, an exciting opportunity presented itself for him to realize his lifelong dream of owning a vineyard management company. Just before the 2023 harvest, Mauricio, along with Jim Demuth and Angel Orozco, acquired VinePro Vineyard Management in the Alexander Valley. Since becoming CEO at VinePro, Mauricio has successfully expanded the client base and improved the overall quality of the vineyard’s output across their portfolio. This transition has also provided Gregory James with better access to high-quality and diverse fruit sourcing.
As a Vigneron his expertise is in both the farming and grape to glass craftsmanship. He is overseeing quality and fruit delivery as well as working alongside Winemaker, Chris Russi, on vinification. Mauricio says: “If I do my job well in the vineyard the wine will make itself with little intervention.
Jim and Mauricio first met at Valdez Family Winery where Mauricio was the winemaker and responsible for custom crush clients which Jim was one of. This began a lasting friendship between the two and their families. Their friendship is built on the love of farming, great wine and mutual respect for each other’s strength in their fields. They often lean on each other for advice and mentorship.
When not in the vineyard or making wine, he is spending time with his family or golfing.
