Robledo Family Winery, which says it is "the first winery in the United States to be founded by Mexican vineyard workers on their own land," has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Act Protection.

It appears to be yet another bev/al victim of President Trump's trade wars which led Canada to ban American wine from retail shelves, a ban that continues to this day in most provinces, including Ontario.

Its petition shows liabilities of about $260,000 against assets in the $1 to $10 million range and lists its largest creditor at Kapitus, a small business lender, which is owed $121,370.59, followed by ILS, Inc., a global logistics company,$36,297.06; American Express Blue Business Line of Credit, $36,185.83.

Luis Robledo and his sons originally came to America in 1942 under the Braceros guest workers program. At that time, the U.S. agriculture industry was in crisis.

Because so many Americans were serving in World War II, there was not enough skilled labor in California to raise crops and bring in the harvest. The Robledos were among the millions of Mexican laborers who dedicated their bodies as the labor force that sustained American agriculture. 

By 1984,Reynaldo and Maria Robledo (pronounced RoBLEDo), the second generation, had saved enough to buy their first piece of property in the Los Carneros AVA of Napa where they planted Pinot Noir. began commercial wine production from estate grapes in 1997 in Sonoma Valley, Calif.  Everardo Robledo, their son, is CEO today.

All their children are involved in agriculture. Lorena Robledo, their first born, is one of the founders of Napa’s Mi Sueño Winery alongside her husband, Rolando. Born two years later and named after his father, Reynaldo Jr. is the founder of The Olive Farm in Sonoma Valley. Everardo, the third born, is the acting President and CEO of Robledo Family Winery, while Vanessa, born in Sonoma Valley, is founder of Vanessa Robledo Wine. Jenaro runs and operates Robledo Vineyard Management and Robledo Ranches. The younger Robledos, Luis, Francisco, Lazaro and Adrian Emiliano, help with the wine production and sales of the Robledo wine.

The tasting room is "the first tasting room in the United States established by a Mexican migrant vineyard worker and his family," the winery website says.