Wine Country Times

On July 9, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) recognized Rolando Herrera as the 2023 American Dream Award recipient for Napa County. The American Dream Award is presented to immigrants from California’s Fourth District who have made outstanding contributions to our communities.

“Our region has been made better thanks to the contributions of immigrants, and Rolando Herrera is one of those immigrants who has improved our community,” said Thompson. “Rolando is the perfect example of the American Dream, working his way from a dishwasher to owning his own winery. His commitment to our community and region is clear and I am proud to recognize Rolando with the American Dream Award in honor of his outstanding work.”

Rolando Herrera was born in El Llano, Mexico and moved to St. Helena in 1972 along with his family. At the age of 15, he started working as a dishwasher at Auberge du Soleil at night while also going to high school full time. Following graduation, he started as a harvest laborer at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and over the next 10 years he worked his way up to cellar master for respected winemaker Warren Winiarski. In 1997, Rolando made 200 cases of Chardonnay as a “side project” and Mi Sueño was born. Over the next 26 years, Mr. Herrera and his wife, Lorena Herrera, have come to be recognized as one of the great independently owned and operated wineries in California with the tremendous honor of having three of Mi Sueño’s wines served at the White House by President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama.  

The American Dream Award honors immigrants who have excelled professionally, through entrepreneurship and innovation, in the arts and culture, or through community service.

The full list of recipients from California’s Fourth District includes:

• Gilbert Rangel, Jr. – Lake County
• Rolando Herrera – Napa County
• Madhulika Singh – Solano County
• Jack Ding – Sonoma County
• Dr. Anita Oberholster – Yolo County

Original source can be found here