Alejandro Castillo Llamas is the co-founder and winemaker of Fallen Mountain Wines in Hotchkiss, CO, and Llamas Family Wines in Napa Valley, crafting minimal-intervention wines that embody a deep sense of place.
Raised in a migrant farmworking family, Alex’s connection to the land runs generations deep. From an early age, he worked alongside his parents and uncles in vineyards across the West, eventually helping to establish the now-iconic Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa Valley. His understanding of terroir is intuitive—shaped by a deep curiosity about and respect for the land and the people who tend it.
His journey led him from the fields to the world of fine dining, working at The French Laundry and Per Se, where he developed a profound appreciation for precision, balance, and the artistry of wine.
At Llamas Family Wines, Alex honors his heritage, producing site-driven Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from vineyards farmed by his family. Fallen Mountain Wines expands this philosophy, embracing regenerative farming and high-elevation viticulture to pioneer world-class winemaking in western Colorado.
Beyond the winery, Alex enjoys fly fishing, cooking for his wife, Michelle, and spending time with his pups—always with a great bottle in hand.
