Jose Luis Lopez, Assistant Vineyard Manager
Born in the town of Zamora, Mexico, Jose is the eleventh of twenty-one children! He came to the United States in 1971 when he was seventeen and began working at Spottswoode in 1982. Jose is responsible for overseeing many projects and employees, as well as for implementing all the tasks that need to be done in the estate vineyard, winery, and grounds. Although we keep him extremely busy, he never appears ruffled and is always helpful, calm, and meticulous.
Trino Manzo Llamas, Vineyard Assistant
Jose Trinidad Manzo, “Trino,” was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. He moved to Napa Valley in 1996 with his family, and worked in the vineyards under Luis Ochoa, learning his trade. He joined the Spottswoode family in 2000. He says, “Here they treat everyone very well, and they are great people, creating a healthy and enjoyable work environment.” Trino now lives in Vallejo with his wife, Dunia, and their two children, Vanessa and Angel.
“I’ve worked at Spottswoode for 25 years. I like it because they’re good people—good bosses. I’ve seen a lot of change. The first year, the crop wasn’t very good. We went through and adjusted the pruning—really improved it—and the next year’s crops were better. When I started, we worked in Mary’s cellar—it was a very small place. Now we have the winery. It’s a lot of change but it’s good—it makes everyone happy.”
