
Tony Viramontes, Vineyard Manager
As a child growing up in Mexico, Tony Viramontes' introduction to farming came at
an early age. At four, he began assisting his father in farming peanuts, corn and
vegetables, and by six, he was already manning a horse-drawn plow. This early exposure
to agriculture formed the foundation for his later interest in growing grapes.
After graduating from high-school, Tony moved to California to study viticulture,
before beginning his over 20-year career in the winemaking industry. In his 11 years
at Stonestreet, Tony has implemented a number of innovative new growing techniques
from replacing many commonly used fertilizers with natural compost to planting flowers
that attract beneficial insects. He was also among the first to install misters
to keep the vines cool on hot days — an idea inspired by the misters at amusement
parks that keep people cool as they wait in line.
Gabriel Valencia, Vineyard Manager
Given the importance of soil type, composition and minerality to the art of grape
growing, the phrase "working from the ground up" takes on added meaning and importance.
And that, perhaps, is Gabriel Valencia's greatest strength. In his 24 years in the
wine industry, Gabriel has climbed from Tractor Driver to Foreman to Supervisor
to Assistant Manager to his current position as Vineyard Manager. And at each step
of his career, he has gained further insight into the intricacies of the mountain
and the needs of the vines.