California Governor Gavin Newsom’s wine business is facing allegations that a vineyard contractor relied heavily on illegal immigrant workers while the governor retained a financial stake in the operation. A new investigation examined the labor behind the PlumpJack Collection of Wineries. Its findings connect the governor’s business interests to a contractor whose former employee accused management of knowingly employing people without legal immigration status.
The investigation focused on PlumpJack and Oso Vineyard, which the company purchased in 2022. Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, reported at least $11 million in income between 2019 and 2024, according to the reporting. Wineries, restaurants and other investments accounted for most of that income during his years in the governor’s office.
The allegations concern workers employed through a vineyard management company contracted by the business. The reporting drew on court documents, labor records and interviews with people in California’s wine industry. Investigators also examined the relationship between the contractor and PlumpJack’s vineyard operations, alongside the governor’s continued ownership interest.
As Breitbart reported, the investigation was conducted by Christopher Rufo, Ryan Thorpe and Kenneth Schrupp. Their City Journal report identified the contractor as Renteria Vineyard Management. An anonymous former longtime employee alleged that approximately 80% of its workers were in the country illegally. Asked whether the company knew, he answered, “Absolutely, of course. There was a lot of them.”
The winery’s own staff page identifies Oscar Renteria as Oso’s “long-time vineyard manager.” It describes the property as a 129-acre vineyard in Pope Valley and says head winemaker Andrew Haugen works closely with Renteria there. Haugen oversees daily winemaking for Odette and Adaptation. The same page lists Newsom among the winery’s founders, alongside Gordon Getty and John Conover.
City Journal also detailed labor enforcement involving the contractor. According to its reporting, a 2022 Department of Labor finding involved wage-and-hour violations affecting 45 employees and resulted in back wages and civil penalties. Separate lawsuits filed in 2024 and 2026 alleged wage violations. The report said the plaintiff in the latter case announced a settlement agreement in September.
The investigation also examined public support for Napa’s agricultural workforce. A September 30th announcement from Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry’s office confirmed that Newsom signed legislation doubling annual state matching funds for county farmworker housing to $500,000. Napa’s three centers operate for up to 11 months annually. Residents pay subsidized nightly rates covering meals, laundry, internet access and immigration services, while growers contribute approximately $650,000 annually through an acreage assessment.
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Newsom’s ownership arrangements date to his first days as governor. His January 7th, 2019, executive order stated that title and control of the PlumpJack entities had been transferred to a blind trust administered by an attorney and certified public accountant. The order prohibited executive branch agencies from entering business arrangements with PlumpJack entities. It requested that other state government entities follow the same restriction.
Responding to City Journal, Newsom spokesman Izzy Gardon said the governor’s business interests were placed in a blind trust in 2019. Gardon said Newsom “has no involvement in PlumpJack’s operations or management.” PlumpJack told the publication it expects its vendors to comply with the law. Renteria Vineyard Management did not respond to the publication’s request for comment.