Jessica Lake

Juan was born in Woodland Ca., in 1979.  His parents Emilia and Juan Puentes are immigrants from Jalisco Mexico. As a child, Juan had aspirations of becoming a Charro.  He grew up in Winters Ca. and went to school there all through High School.

When Juan graduated from Winters High School in 1997 he enrolled in the army.  He did his training in North Carolina.  Once he returned home in April of 1998, he went to Heald College and studied Business Management.

Juan has a great recollection of his transportation hardships.  He drove an old Ford truck that could barely transport him from point A to point B.  However, this truck took him places.  He worked for Pizza Guys as a pizza delivery man to pay for his school tuition.

One day in April of 1999, Juan came home from delivering pizza’s and his mom had a phone number for him to call.  She had seen on television that SBC Hispanic Center in Sacramento was hiring bi-lingual employees.  She made him sit in his room and call.  This was the beginning of Juan’s career at SBC Hispanic Center.  Out of 500 potential future employees, Juan made the cut of only 10.  His life took a change, he was no longer going to rush from Health College to his job at Pizza Guys, he was now going to dress like a businessman and leave his home at 5 am to make sure he made it work at 8 am sharp at the call center.  His truck wasn’t' reliable but that is all he had for the moment. 

Life changed for good and thanks to his stubborn mom Emilia Puentes who always worked for her kids to have the best that she could possibly offer, and always taught them that they had the drive and poise to follow their hearts to success.

Juan later purchased his brand new Lobo Ford Truck, and a business suit.  He was now a businessman working for the SBC call center in Sacramento.  The phone company had excellent incentives.  This company definitely paid the price for the ambitious and driven hard worker.  Before you knew it Juan was making a six-figure income.

The year 1999 had a lot in store for Juan; he also met Miriam Ramirez from Napa, CA.  She is now his wife of 13 years.  They shared a story and the rest became history.  Miriam had inherited a dream to one day own her own business in the wine industry.  Juan promised to help her and he did.

Honrama Cellars was planned and born into a beautiful full bodied well balanced Cabernet, cellared bottled and vintage: 2008.

With the closing of one door a million more open.  It is what you make of your journey that makes you succeed in life.  Cheers from our family to yours.  Viva Honrama Cellars