Cuban-born Luis Moya immigrated to the United States in 1980 where he found work in the fine-dining restaurants of New York City, including the world-renowned Windows on the World.

It was at Windows on the World that he decided to dedicate his life to wine, beginning his formal wine training with Andrea Immer and Kevin Zraly. There he completed the Windows on the World wine course and the WSET Higher Certificate Exam as well as the Sommelier course with the Sommelier Society of America.

Luis’ career took a turn in 1996 thanks to a chance restaurant meeting with Jose Gudes, owner of Tempranillo, a company that had begun to build its reputation on selling a selection of value-oriented Spanish wines from then a little-known importer named Jorge Ordonez.

Leaving the restaurant business behind, Luis worked for seven years selling the Ordonez selections in New York City. He was assigned most of Tempranillo’s A-level accounts and worked on the cutting edge of the Spanish wine renaissance in America.

Always wanting to be closer to wine country and seeing an opportunity to bring authentic, terroir-driven and value-oriented wines west, Luis moved with his family to San Francisco where in 2005 he founded Vinos Unico and began distributing and directly importing unique, quality wines from small producers in Spain, Portugal, and South America.

In the subsequent four years Vinos Unico now distributes state-wide and has developed a strong reputation for Luis’ uncompromising commitment to quality, locale-driven authenticity, and value, winning fast friends with sommeliers and wine buyers at the top restaurants and retailers in the state.