Eleodoro Hernández was only seventeen when he left his family in Mexico’s Michoacan State to travel north to California’s Napa Valley where he was told he could find work. It was 1976 and Northern California was in the throes of a gigantic wine bubble that was to last for the next two and a half decades. Eleodoro quickly took to his new work, first at the recently opened Flora Springs Estate. As the years passed, ‘Ele,’ as he had become known, became considered as an expert grower in Napa Valley. He was a person who had mastered the difficult process of terraced vineyards, an incredibly important aspect of Napa Valley farming. Just after the turn of the century, Ele Hernández realized a lifelong dream of going into business for himself when he completed leases on several high quality parcels of land along Big Ranch Road in Napa Valley.

Today, these parcels total 39 acres and have all been hand planted by Ele himself. It came as no surprise to observers that these vineyards proved to be superior regarding the fruit produced. The likes of venerated Caymus Vineyards and Stags’ Leap Winery quickly became customers along with many others.

In 2006, Ele Hernández took another giant step and began the process of making his own wines. He called upon his old friend, Rolando Herrera (of Mi Sueño Winery fame and Michoacan heritage) to help with the first release of less than 100 cases. When the wine sold out in a short time, the new winery (Noemi Vineyards) was on its way to prominence.