Valdez called him crying, and replaced the lost fruit with grapes from his own vineyard at no cost. "One of his men didn't fully strap the fruit down, and came around a corner, half of it dumped onto Westside Road," said McWilliams. McWilliams said it's what Ulises would have done for them, recalling a story from Arista's first harvest of their estate vineyard in Russian River Valley, which Valdez had planted and farmed. Numerous local vintners and longtime clients have rallied around the family, offering to lend a hand in the fields, cellar or offices. this morning, when the young man delivered grapes to Arista. McWilliams was shocked to hear the news from Ulises Jr. Valdez's death comes at the peak of harvest in Sonoma County. are all involved in both the winery and vineyard company. His daughter Elizabeth took over winemaking duties in 2016, and her siblings Angelica, Ricardo, and Ulises Jr. Because vineyard land is expensive, Valdez opted to acquire vineyard property via long-term leases rather then buying-the winery now owns or leases 100 acres. In 2004, Valdez released his first wine under his namesake brand, Valdez Family Winery. "Conversations always drifted to family, and about his sons and daughters getting involved in the family business," recalled Mark McWilliams of Arista. He was a passionate, hardworking and determined perfectionist in the vineyard as well as a loving, caring father and husband at home. Valdez will be remembered for the twinkle in his eye, his laughter and his big smile underneath his signature straw cowboy hat. "He understood what it took to make great wine, literally from the ground up." "He was a gem in this industry," said Cohn. Today, the company employs a staff of 100 and farms over 1,000 acres for the aforementioned wineries, as well as Arista Winery, Ram's Gate, Rivers-Marie, Three Sticks, Kosta Browne and countless others. He's a rare breed that can balance all the factors." "And he has the understanding making his own wine. "He's got exhaustive knowledge of the soils in Sonoma," Aubert told Wine Spectator in 2007. Valdez had learned a lot about viticulture in a short period of time and had gained a valuable reputation in the industry, growing high-quality grapes for clients such as Mark Aubert, Paul Hobbs and Jayson Pahlmeyer. After saving for more than a decade, Valdez bought out his partner in 2003, and changed the name to Valdez & Sons Vineyard Management Inc. to become partners in Florence Vineyard Management Company, farming Florence's father's vineyard. It didn't take long for Valdez to carve a path from vineyard worker to vineyard manager. "I knew his uncle when he came here as a kid, and he always worked hard and hustled his evolution is something our industry should be proud of." "He's the poster child for immigration," said Saxon Brown's Jeff Gaffner, who has known Valdez for 20 years.
Even though he could now travel to California legally, Adelina could not, so Valdez once again braved the journey across the border to bring her back to Sonoma County. In the interim, Valdez returned home to marry his wife, Adelina. Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, Valdez became a legal temporary resident of the United States, and 10 years later he became a permanent resident. He found his way to Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley, joining his older brother Nicolas Cornejo, who had come to the U.S. Valdez left Mexico at age 16, successfully crossing the California border on his third attempt. His father died when Valdez was just 8, forcing the resolute youth into the fields around his village to help support his family. Born in the Mexican state of Michoacán, he was one of eight children. Valdez was also an example of the American dream in the wine industry. "His family is my family, and vice versa and our relationship has been that way since 1996 when we first met him." "He was a brother from another mother," said Jeff Cohn of Jeff Cohn Cellars. He was equally regarded as one of the most warm and loving personalities in the industry. Valdez was widely considered one of the most knowledgeable and skilled vineyard managers in California. Ulises Valdez, who emigrated from Mexico to work as a vineyard laborer in Sonoma County, then rose to become one of California's most renowned vineyard managers and founder of his own family winery, died early this morning of a heart attack.