MaCo tasting room opens in downtown Napa

While Roberto Corona recently opened the MaCo Vineyards tasting room in downtown Napa, his beginnings stem from hard work.

Originally, he moved to Napa at the end of 1980. He started working at the bottom of a vineyard, planting and doing any required task. Over the course of the next 10 years, he learned everything there was to know about vineyard management.

By 1990, he changed companies and became the foreman of Quintessa. He earned trust quickly and grew within the company, and it wasn’t long before he was promoted to manager. He stayed with Quintessa for 13 years.

“I started my own business in vineyard management in 2003. Where I worked long days for years. Today, Corona Vineyard Management is still my main source of income with a few very loyal clients,” Corona said.

His empire would further expand in 2008.

“I formed a partnership with a friend from Mexico,” he said. The friend was Jesus Maciel. “He’s family. He married my wife’s cousin; I’ve known him my entire life. We grew up in the same area of Guadalajara. He still lives in Mexico.”

The company's name, MaCo, was a fusion of the first two letters of Maciel and Corona’s last names. Together they partnered and purchased 49 acres in the Oak Knoll region.

“We acquired a ranch from Silverado Trail across from Soda Canyon Road. We developed that into a vineyard. After five to six years, we started making wine. A little bit at a time,” Corona said.

Ninety percent of the grapes Corona grew on his properties were sold to clients. The remaining 10% went toward making their own wine starting in 2013. They began harvesting their first grapes, which were then barreled for two years before being released to friends and family in 2015 under the MaCo label. Eric Lyman, who also produces Judd’s Hill wine, produces for MaCo.

Over the course of the next six years, they continued to develop their vineyards and experiment with their own wine. “In 2019, we decided to export our wine to Mexico, where my partner lives. The idea came from Jesus. He had a lot of friends who owned restaurants,” Corona said.

Corona’s son-in-law, Alvaro Camacho, who is involved in the business’ daily operations, noted that this was rare, “50% of production goes to Mexico. This is unique both in this area and on the Sonoma side. Many have attempted to expand into the Mexican market, but brands often have a small team or budget dedicated to the southern expansion. We focus our energy on both places. For us, 50% of the company is based in Mexico.”

Camacho isn’t the only Corona family member involved in the business.

“Every member of the family is involved in the business. My wife worked until my daughter Gaby graduated from university. Then, she took over in the office and financial department. My eldest son runs all of our vineyard management,” he said.

In 2021, they made the wine available to the public for purchase online. Camacho oversees their recently opened tasting room in downtown Napa.

“It took time. We worked hard with the county to get the license. Our Grand opening was Sept. 15 of this year,” Corona said.

Camacho said things have been going well the first few months since opening. “It’s gotten better every week. We have a great space and outdoor area, and reviews and word of mouth are helping.”

MaCo offers three types of tastings ranging from $50 to $70, but the heritage and tradition of what the label was built upon matters most.

“We are Latin and completely family owned. This is what Napa was built on and is a lot less typical in today’s world. I am honored to provide that service,” Camacho said.

While MaCo recently opened a tasting room downtown, the family alluded to plans to build a winery on the Silverado trail. “We’ve done the underground work and have the permit for the site,” Corona said.