2003 marked the third season that Oppenheimer marketed grapes grown in Hermosillo, Mexico by the Platt family. Hector Platt is one of two brothers who oversee the production of Mexican grapes grown under the La Florida brand - Oppenheimer supplied about 450,000 boxes in spring 2003.

Grapes from Mexico integrate well into Oppenheimer's overall grape category, filling the slight gap following the Chilean season and dovetailing into the Coachella grape deal. For about six weeks beginning in late April, we will carry Perlettes, Flames, and Sugraones grown on two ranches owned and operated by Hector and Ariel Platt.

The Platt family has long been affiliated with the cattle industry in the state of Sonora, Mexico. Over the years, the family has produced row crops and pecans, and about a decade ago they diversified into grapes.

With the help of his brother Ariel who is the "grape expert" in the family, Hector planted the first grapes on the La Florida Ranch in 1992. La Florida is located just north of the city of Hermosillo and consists of about 185 hectares that produce Perlettes, Flames and Sugraones.

In 2001, the Platts increased production by purchasing their Agro Premier Ranch, which can be found about 50 kilometers west of Hermosillo in Mexico's La Costa region. This ranch produces Perlettes and Flames. All grapes grown by the Platts are packed into La Florida boxes.

Hector commented on preparations for the 2003 harvest:

"Right now, we are supervising the thinning of Perlettes and Flames to enhance the berry size, and eliminating any bunches that appear as if they won't meet our size or quality standards," Hector said. "This involves the hard work of 700 people between the two operations. We are making every effort to see to it that the work is performed in a timely and culturally specific manner to produce the highest quality fruit come harvest."

He added that working with the people on the ranches is one of the most interesting aspects of grape production. "It is highly specialized hand work, and precise timing is necessary," Hector said.

The Platts also emphasize the importance of food safety. "We need the strict sanitary conditions to be in place in our vineyard for our fruit to meet the stringent market requirements of the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.," Hector said. "To that end, we have embarked on third party audit program to certify our Good Agriculture Practices, and are implementing a comprehensive HACCP program to encompass our farming and packing operation."

The Platts recognize Oppenheimer's shared commitment to food safety as well as its good reputation in the produce industry.

"Oppenheimer has a proven reputation of service to its worldwide network of growers," Hector said. "We were impressed by Oppenheimer's decision to bring those same services to Mexican grape growers as part of its desire to have a 12-month grape supply for its many retail and wholesale buyers."

Fortunately, it's not all about work for the Platt brothers. Both Hector and Ariel are married with children, and keep busy with family activities. They also raise quarter horses, primarily for racing. In fact, one of their horses won the Phoenix Futurity for 2-year-olds last fall.

And what kind of grapes does Hector snack on once the season begins?

"Flames are nice and have a sweet taste and crunch," he said. "However, a really ripe Perlette is a favorite because it has both high acid and high sugar, which makes for a very unique taste experience."