Cubanisimo Vineyards – A Taste From Oregon

One of the few Hispanic owned wineries in Oregon has made a trademark for itself not only for its distinct name but also for
its tasty Pinot Noirs.

If you are of Cuban, or for that matter Hispanic heritage, you have to be proud of wineries that make it in the vino world.
One of those is Cubanisimo Vineyards. Founded in 2003 by Mauricio Collada, this winery produces some of the tastiest Pinot Noirs one
can taste and its traces come back to South Florida when Collada was a medical student at the University of Miami.
He began by making wine at home from mangoes and bananas and eventually, with further research, ended up purchasing a 21-acre parcel
that would be the foundation of what today is Cubanisimo Vineyards.

“Initially our problem was that people thought the product was a joke,” said Collada in regards to his winery. “It took a year or two for it to take off,” he added. It was hard for the “feel good” winery (as it is known) to be easily accepted because of pronunciation issues and the like.
But they prevailed and now he, along with his wife Debra, run the operations of this winery which is producing a number of easy to drink vinos.

They have four main productions with the Estate Pinot Noir, Rumba Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Rosado De Pinot Noir which will put
your mouth to joy from pairing with a steak or just enjoying it on a warm Spring evening.

When asked what he suggested for other up-and-coming Hispanic winemakers (as well as those who are scared of trying different wines), he said “stay away from critics.”

So whether looking for a salsa class with your vino (Yes, they have plenty of salsa/vino parties), or simply exploring a different type of
winery, Cubanisimo must definitely be on your list of wineries during that next Oregon Willamette Valley vacation.

Please wine responsibly, and as always, Salud!