Wilma's Wine World

The Times They Are A-Changin'

2010-09-08T20:00:46Z

Yesterday I spent the day working with a new sales rep for our California distributor. We met with half a dozen accounts in San Francisco in hopes of making some new placements. Tasting through our current releases together and telling the story of Dry Creek Vineyard was invaluable for him. Nothing better than hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth, right? But it wasn’t enough. We had lots of great feedback on the wines, and numerous requests to check back when other inventory has been depleted, but at the end of the day I didn’t help this poor chap sell one bottle of our wine. The Husband on the other hand was in Florida kicking off our brand with a new division of our distributor. He too had been personally visiting accounts, sampling with wine buyers, and educating the sales representative with whom he was working. Middle of the day I got an update message on my cell phone: Day 1 he had sold 40 cases. Day 2, 30 cases. Not a bad haul even if he had to travel 3000 miles to do it.

I point this out for those of you who still think that the wine business is glamorous. Sure there are elements of glamour. I’ll be the first to admit I enjoy strutting the Red Carpet during my annual pilgrimage to the SAG Awards. And, hosting a wine cruise for Windstar Cruises in a few weeks isn’t a bad way to make a buck either. But at the end of the day, the wine business is tough and only getting tougher.

This became crystal clear for me at the last account I visited. The sommelier was blown away by the quality of our wines. (Although not as much as he was his own palate, which he kept reminding me was one of the best in the city!) At the end of the tasting, I asked to see the wine list. (It’s always good to see if there’s a “hole” i.e., no wines from the Dry Creek Valley appellation, or a lack of great Zinfandels, etc.) Much to my horror, I did not recognize ONE SINGLE brand name. And it wasn’t because they were from Timbuktu or some other obscure region. These were wines from well known California AVAs. Yet, I had never heard of any of them. My heart starting thumping and my breath became well, sort of labored. In that split second I realized that no matter how fantastic our wines, how amazing our reviews and scores, or how hard we work to promote our products in the marketplace, the industry as I know it has changed. Labels are becoming like bunny rabbits, expanding and multiplying at such an alarming rate that making a placement on a wine list or store shelf is becoming an act of God.

And it isn’t limited to just wines. Check out this photo. Never in my lifetime in this industry, first as a kid growing up in it, and later as my chosen profession, have I seen something like this in the Dry Creek Valley. Some poor schlock using guerilla marketing tactics to market his unsold grapes...

To put it bluntly, and as Bob Dylan once said,

“The Times They Are A-Changin’!”

Is Mother Nature Menopausal?

2010-08-31T21:49:37Z

Mother Nature has been acting rather hormonal lately. Erratic weather conditions and unpredictable swings in temperature have left even the most seasoned grower/vintner guessing as to when harvest will start. Honestly, I can’t remember an odder summer. (I actually experienced better weather in Maine than we’ve had here.)

As everyone scrambles to get ready for the 2010 harvest, most are speculating that things won’t really get started until mid-September. That’s a good 3 weeks later than normal. Of course, first to get picked is always Pinot Noir and Chardonnay intended for sparkling wine production. My good buddy Judy Jordon over at J Wine Company brought her first load of fruit in last Wednesday. In the still wine business, most of us are still waiting patiently on the sidelines.

Postponing harvest isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In theory, the slower the grapes ripen, the more complex and concentrated the fruit will be. Maybe that’s why Ken Wilson, friend and grower of our Wilson Ranch Chenin Blanc is so optimistic. In his words, “I don’t know what everyone is all worried about, we’ve had fabulous growing conditions.” Easy for him to say…he’s over there in the Sacramento Delta where they’re just happy to be growing grapes!

Here in Sonoma County, many of us are still recovering from the blistering heat that bombarded us last week. (It spiked to over 110 degrees within a 24 hour period.) Those who were overly zealous in their spring leaf thinning (in order to get better air flow to minimize the possibility of mold and mildew) really got nailed, losing up to 50% of the crop to sunburn damage. Fortunately, we’ve got a seasoned captain at our helm who made sure we didn’t end up in this boat. (Boating pun intended!)

While Mother Nature might be menopausal, and winemakers are getting a bit skittish, it’s the growers who tend to be the most anxious of all. For them it’s all about harvesting their grapes as soon as humanly possible. Their livelihood depends on it. Which is why it’s a constant tug o’ war. Growers want their crops off early so they can get paid as soon as possible. Winemakers want to prolong the arrival of fruit until conditions are ideal and ripeness is optimal. If you happen to be BOTH the grower and the producer, like we are, you pick when you’re darn well good and ready and try to stay one step ahead of Mother Nature, after all…

Everyone knows not to mess with Mother Nature!


Sunburned grapes due to Mother Nature's hot flash		Happy grapes due to proper shading and Mother Nature's natural A/C

Life is Good!

2010-08-25T22:55:45Z

Sometimes you have to put the family back into the family business-which is exactly what I just returned from doing. A couple of weeks on the coast of Maine was the perfect way to recharge my batteries and reconnect with my kids. Throw in perfect weather, plenty of ice cream and I swear I became the poster child for “Life is Good!” Since a picture is worth a thousand words I thought I’d share a few. Thank you guest bloggers Bill and Erin and to everyone who held the fort down in my absence. I love you all!

That Lasting Feeling

2010-08-10T16:35:35Z

Last week I had the chance to spend a little time in Denver, CO. I was there with a friend on a business trip, which left some time for me to explore the city solo. In order to capitalize on my short stint there, I decided to be the tourist (as opposed to host the tourist). It was interesting, walking around downtown, visiting hot spots per local recommendations. After two days I felt like I had a genuine impression of the city. On the flight home I started thinking, and I have mentioned this before; working behind the bar at a premium California winery is like traveling. Every day I meet people from various states and countries, and each interaction leaves a unique mark.

As a lover of language and culture I am always thrilled to host international guests. About two months ago, on one such occasion, I met a family from Strasbourg. They were on a tour of the United States, and they came to Dry Creek Vineyard per suggestion from their hotel concierge. In my broken high school French I welcomed them, and did my best to explain the DCV profile. Four wines later, our flagship was deemed the favorite. After ringing up a chilled bottle and handing over a couple picnic glasses, the gentleman said, “Merci, votre Blanc Fumé est excellent!” Even I understood that one, “Thank you, your Fumé Blanc is excellent!” The visit was brief but his sentiment was imprinted.

Erin Ginder-Shaw, Assistant Tasting Room Manager

Livin' the Good Life

2010-08-04T18:35:10Z

It was like any other typical morning. First, an early morning walk through the vineyards with our Golden Retriever, Truman. Then a cup of coffee, a few minutes of news on the tube, and a quick shower before heading out the door for my ridiculously short 8 mile drive to the winery. NPR on the radio and still a bit bleary eyed, I was traveling down Dry Creek Road when I was literally forced to pull over. The beauty and majesty was breathtaking.

It was relatively early and the morning fog clung to the valley floor like a hand reaching down from the heavens. A flock of birds circled over the evergreen vineyards, the sunlight dancing across the top of the vines. The sky above was the most amazing shade of blue and the air was cool and crisp. From the side of the road, I took a few deep inhales of the pollutant free air and I thought to myself, I live in the most beautiful place on earth!

It’s funny how one can go through life’s motions, practically oblivious to the surroundings. Then, in an instant, you are awestruck by God’s creation and Mother Nature’s brilliance. Those of us that live and work in the Dry Creek Valley, I’m sure, have had similar experiences. On this morning, I was reminded of how very fortunate I am to call the Dry Creek Valley, one of the most beautiful places on earth, my home.

Bill Smart, Director of Communications

Crossing My T's and Dotting My I's

2010-07-29T22:19:14Z

I have been up to my eyeballs in training new employees these last few weeks. First with my new “dream” assistant and marketing administrator Jennifer, who has been on the job exactly one month. So far she keeps coming back so I guess that’s a good sign! And now with John, our new Director of Retail Sales and Hospitality, one of the nicest people I’ve come across in a long time.

It’s incredibly hard to transfer information learned over the course of a lifetime into someone else’s head. I’m always afraid I’m going to forget some important detail. Like the time we won the Grand Prix d’Honneur in Bordeaux France out of 4,200 wines worldwide, which by the way was 1995. Or the time we printed Cabernet labels that said Sonoma Couny-and that’s why I’m so anal about proofreading. Yet this is what I must do if I’m to be able to relax on my vacation in a few days. It’s probably not the best time to go, but my kids desperately need some “mommy” time and I’m in grave need of some down time. I’ve begun to have a permanent buzzing feeling in my head along with circles so deep beneath my eyes that no amount of fancy make-up can make a difference.

So off I’m going to one of my favorite haunts, coastal Maine. I’ll be making the rounds to see my grandparents and meeting up with my dad who recently bought a small cottage a stone’s throw from the water’s edge. I’m planning to read plenty of trashy magazines (nothing on wine!) and eat pie. I might play tennis, and then again- I might not. And, I will relearn for the hundredth time how to do a controlled jibe in heavy winds. (That’s sailing talk for turning the boat when the wind is behind you.) For a chronic list maker and goal setter, I’ve got one very important objective: CHILL OUT. Naturally, I’ve thrown in some time with our Maine distributor, Pine State Beverage but other than that, I’ll be incommunicado. And you know what that means, no blogging.

I’ll see you in a few weeks folks. Thanks for the comments, friendship, and support. (I’ve invited some fellow Dry Creekers to wear the Wilma hat, so we’ll see who’s up for the challenge!)

92 Points Sure Feels Good

2010-07-20T21:37:58Z

We got some awesome news last week that I don’t want to let slip by without yelling a digital yahoo. That’s Wilmaspeak for saying “I get to blog about it!”

First, we learned the Wine Spectator rated our 2006 Dry Creek Valley Mariner 92 points. Next we found out we got a 90 point score and “Editor’s Choice” from Wine Enthusiast for the 2009 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc followed by not one but two “Best Buy” selections for both our flagship Fumé Blanc as well as our Chenin Blanc. It was a good week indeed!

We get our fair share of 90+ratings from an assortment of respected wine critics and publications, but back to back scores like these feels especially satisfying. And the best news of all is we have plenty available for sale! (I guess I inherited that mentality from dear old dad who always used to say his favorite wine was, “the one we have the most to sell!”)

You’d have to hear the whole story to understand why I’m smiling.

About 10 years ago, we started getting worried about our future. Wineries were being gobbled up, an influx of wine was becoming available from all over the globe and despite our reputation and decades long loyal following, we sensed we were fading into oblivion. Dry who? It was time to make some big changes. Besides, when you have two first born A-type personalities taking over a family business, you can’t be satisfied with the status quo.

So we began the daunting task of reinventing ourselves. It was sort of like a winery makeover. We took a hard look at every aspect of the company, from vineyards, winemaking, and production to sales, marketing, and internal operations, just about everything--you name it. It wasn’t that anything in particular was “broken”; we just knew we needed to become more distinctive and more focused to fulfill our dream of making wines that command respect. We sold vineyards, planted vineyards, cut production, hired talent, sourced new coopers, installed new equipment, changed our product mix, etc. Along the process, we told the staff “we are taking the winery to new heights. It’s going to require hard work and sacrifice. And we know it won’t be easy. But if you’re on board, we want you. If not, it’s ok to leave. It’ll take some time but the rewards will be great and our future success and longevity will be assured.”

Despite 9/11, two recessions, family squabbles, countless setbacks, and many a worrisome night, it feels like we’re finally getting our just rewards.

Thank you believers of Dry Creek. Thank you and watch out! The best is yet to come.

Are We Headed For Even Bigger Problems?

2010-07-16T00:12:06Z

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about...we can now add water to our list. Generally, I’m not one to comment on the political shortcomings of our state, but this is just too important to keep quiet.

Yesterday afternoon, The Husband attended yet another meeting of local farmers at neighboring Rued Winery. The subject was water rights and more specifically how the Golden State wants to take away the rights of private land owners to the access of water located on their property. At first glance, this would appear to be a rather dull subject and one we’ve all heard bantered about for years. Oh yea that, do we have to talk about that again?

But hearing firsthand about the latest crap the state is trying to pull over our eyes has me concerned. And, I already have enough worries to last me a good long while.

Let me paint a picture for you.

Basic water rights are a fundamental human right—right up there next to enjoying ice cream and driving around looking cool when you’re a teenager. If you live in a municipality like the town of Healdsburg or the County of Sonoma, you get your water through the city utility commission. Your usage is monitored, and you pay a monthly fee for the service they provide which is chlorinated but clean drinking water that is readily available and on demand 24/7. In a drought situation, they might clamp down on irrigation, but generally water is available.

If you live in the country and are a property owner outside of a municipality, like most grape growers and winery folks are, your water comes directly off your own property via ground water wells. You buy your land (very expensive), you dig a well ($$$), you service your well (more $$$), you irrigate your crops, you get your drinking water, etc. (Sometimes you even have no water like when a mouse crawls into the well’s breaker box and wreaks havoc. True story, it happened just last week!)

Under new pending rules, all this would change. Every agricultural well or pump in Sonoma County would be required by law to have a water meter on it. The cost at the basic level is $10,000 per well. Farmers would then be required to report their usage to the state on a monthly basis, which adds more costs. If you don’t comply, you get fined. If you report it incorrectly, you get fined. And a whole new generation of law enforcement officials or “water cops” will be out there enforcing the rules making sure farmers are verifying and recording their usage correctly. Hmmm, seems to me the cops have a lot more important things to do……………

The whole subject is so complex and convoluted that it would take a month’s worth of research and blog posts to explain in full detail. What’s important to know is that the state wants to control ground water and by doing this will control the value of ag property. (A farm without water is a future subdivision.) They are making it harder and harder for farmers to survive, squeezing them tighter and tighter by adding new costs, regulation and water restrictions. It’s an infringement on landowner rights and adds unnecessary costs to the business of farming, which already operates on pathetically thin margins. It is downright wrong. But ultimately the public will pay, especially when the farmers are gone and grocery store shelves are bare.

The Final Blow: A Culinary Adventure with Jeffrey Saad

2010-07-08T22:10:47Z

Day 3 of the WBC continued my love affair with all things Walla Walla. I mean just the name alone makes me smile so how could it be anything but great fun, right?

I almost blew off the last seminar which I’m sure a great number of people considered doing as well. (Sunday after a 3 day conference is never a good day to be a featured guest speaker.) Thankfully, I stuck around to hear celebrity chef Jeffrey Saad (25 year culinary veteran, cookbook author, and recent runner up of the Next Food Network Star Season 5) share his thoughts on food and wine pairing. Now I’ve personally heard this talk about 25 times from some of the best people in the industry, so I wasn’t really expecting all that much. BOY, was I wrong! Jeffrey is one of those rare charismatic people who exudes enthusiasm and oozes charm along with his straight forward tips on pairing the right wines with the right foods. He’s fun to listen to and puts things in simple terms that everyone can understand. I found myself scribbling notes which I got to put to good use at the hands-on food and wine pairing demonstration immediately following his seminar. It was an awesome way to wrap up the 2010 Wine Bloggers’ Conference, sending me home with a few extra pounds to add to my already wine stained teeth and fond memories of Walla Walla, Washington.

Here are some of Jeffrey’s basics:

Acid with Acid: If a dish is high in acid, serve it with a wine that is also higher in acid. (Think tomato sauce and Sangiovese.)

Fat with Acid: If a dish is high in fat, serve lean crisp wines high in acid. The acidity cuts through the fat and allows the flavors to come through. (Think lemon juice with fish.)

Protein or Animal Fat with Tannin: For protein rich foods serve wines high in tannins. The protein will soften the tannins and make the fruit come forward.

Spicy with Sweet: Serve off dry or fruity wines with spicy foods to cut through the spice and bring out the aromatics in the wine. Avoid tannins which get more pronounced with spicy foods. Think Riesling or Gewürztraminer. (My personal favorite = Dry Creek Vineyard Chenin Blanc with Thai cuisine!)

For more on Jeffrey’s talk, visit http://jeffreysaad.com

The Wow Factor of Walla Walla

2010-07-01T20:48:25Z

If I had to sum up two words that describe the Walla Walla wine country it’s GRACIOUS HOSPITALITY. The second two words that come to mind are DAMN GOOD. Visiting this arid dry region for the first time was a real eye opener. It was also ”hella” fun as my teenager would say.

My first reaction was that it reminded me of Sonoma County 25 years ago. There’s a spirit of "pioneerism" that you can just feel. The people are big thinking and adventurous, planting varietals that range from Syrah and Tempranillo to Viognier, Sangiovese, Riesling, Grenache, and Mouvedre to the more traditional Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, etc. It’s a shot gun approach, and one that is allowing them to experiment with multiple wines and multiple styles. While I expected to enjoy the Rieslings and Merlots that we’ve all come to associate with Washington, what excited me most were some of the more obscure wines and blends I got to try throughout the weekend.

Here is a snapshot of a few of my favorites.

I first encountered the fine reds of Spring Valley Vineyard on Saturday night of the conference. A very Frenchy Frenchman (I’m talking about the kind whose accent is so thick you can cut it with a knife) was enthusiastically pouring his wines for narrow minded snobby types like me. Boy was I surprised. While the label is a bit funky, the wines have an elegance and finesse that are impressive. Happily, our group had the good fortune of visiting Spring Valley Vineyard the very next day. Located in a bucolic valley, this family farming operation is in its 7^th generation! Makes us seem like a bunch of pikers… They have 1000 acres of farmland and only 38 planted to vineyards, so there’s plenty of room for growth. But for now, they’re limited to 6000 cases of assorted red blends. Check out the Frederick and the Derby, named after the owner’s grandmother. I have no idea where their wines are distributed, but they’re worth looking for. Or you can contact them at www.springvalleyvineyard.com.

Later that day, we visited the very tiny Reynvaan Family Vineyards, nestled against the rolling hills outside the town of Walla Walla. While completely new to winemaking, they are definitely on to something. Their 2007 Syrah-“The Contender “ is stunning as was their 2007-“In The Rocks” bottling. If you’re into discovering wines that nobody knows about, this would be a good bet. Visiting this family winery brought out a bit of nostalgia in me too, as it reminded me of the way my mom and dad started out nearly 40 years ago.

A special thank you goes to Ron Williams of Waterbrook Winery. I met him for the first time at the conference, but already feel like I’ve known him for far longer. Ron is a relative newcomer to the wine scene, and a perfect example of the kind of gracious hospitality that all wineries should strive for in their hospitality staff. He is classy, fun, and down to earth, just like the wines. They make a mean Meritage and a yummy dry Rosé, that along with the rest of their very reasonably priced varietals are a testament to their fast growth and national success. I highly recommend the relaxing patio setting which made our little group feel like we were on a special vacation. If I know Ron at all, you will have the same experience too if you pay a visit.

The fact that all these people rolled out the red carpet for a bunch of ragtag bloggers with little to no credentials like me, was extremely generous. But it was their stellar wines and warm spirit that made a convert out of many of us.

There were so many wines that impressed me over the course of my visit, it’s hard to recall. From the Unoaked Chardonnay at Airfield Estates Winery (a steal at $12) to the butilicious blend from Buty (yes, that’s really their name!) I came away an enlightened Washington wine enthusiast. And, I realized something very important that I must remember to tell The Husband. No matter how focused we are at trying to keep our nose to the grindstone running our own winery, we must never stop visiting, tasting, and learning about other regions and our peers in the field. It’s what got us inspired in the first place, for heaven’s sake. But mostly, it’s just damn good fun!

Wilma Does Walla Walla - Part 1

2010-06-29T22:37:19Z

My head is still buzzing. And I don’t mean the kind from drinking too much. It was from the sheer number of hats I wore this past weekend. There was my Dry Creek Vineyard hat, the one I normally wear where I’m all about promoting the winery. Then there was my Wilma hat where I’m slyly drumming up readership for this blog. And then there was my Meritage Alliance hat, where I enthusiastically touted the virtues of wines blended in the Bordeaux tradition, while pouring for a dozen different producers from all over the country. All this took place at the 3^rd Annual Wine Bloggers’ Conference in Walla Walla, Washington. Whew, it was a tough job but somebody had to do it!

In between blogging seminars, tips on social media and networking 2010 style (aka digital schmoozing), I learned about wines from the Yakima Valley and Walla Walla appellations. I even learned a little bit about wines from Idaho. For a somewhat jaded wine gal like me, I found it all fascinating and great fun. Besides, for once in my life, I was the one being entertained, not the other way around!

The conference offered a very diverse schedule with one common theme, WINE. We learned, we blogged, we networked, we tasted. And, we did something completely new to me -- live wine blogging which was kind of like doing a sales pitch on steroids. In less than 4 minutes, I had to be as engaging, charming and informative as humanly possible while pouring wine for a table of bloggers who were blogging online. When the bell rang, I rotated to the next table. This was repeated for a total of 27 times. That’s a lot of hot air coming out of one red head!

I had a few “aha” moments along the way. First, I got to meet some of my favorite bloggers including, Jeff Lefevere of goodgrape.com, Joe Roberts of 1winedude.com and Grace Hoffman of cellarmistress.blogspot.com. We quickly bonded, with no pretence of who we are or where we are from. I never felt a sense of competition (like my blog is better than your blog…) and was impressed with the amount of passion, innovation, risk, hard work, and dedication wine bloggers possess. There was a sense that somehow, even though no one is really quite sure to what extent, wine blogging is making a difference. It is a valid form of wine education that is growing by leaps and bounds. As an example, when Tom Wark of fermentation.typepad.com started blogging five years ago, there were fewer than 100 wine blogs. When Jim Laube encouraged me to start mine nearly 3 years ago, there were approximately 500. Today there are over 1000. Clearly, something BIG is happening, we’re just not sure what it is or where it’s taking us.

What we can be certain of is that we have become a nation of wine drinkers. And with this is the insatiable curiosity that exists with learning about wine. Because, no matter how long you’ve been drinking or how knowledgeable one becomes, there is always MORE to learn and MORE to taste. For me, that’s a rather enticing proposition. As long as my liver can handle it, I’m up for the task!

Wine Bloggers Unite in Walla Walla

2010-06-23T19:27:14Z

43. That’s the number of blog posts I put out last year. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough for me to qualify (I needed 52) for this year’s Wine Blog Awards. Try as I might, I just couldn’t churn out any more in time for the deadline, which came and went during one of my many business trips to…NY? MN? God Knows Where? Nonetheless, I’m heading to Walla Walla Washington tomorrow to attend the annual American Wine Bloggers' Conference. This will be my third year at the conference and I’m really looking forward to it, despite the fact that I really shouldn’t be going away right now. (I’ve got all those damn piles, remember?!)

In between seminars on blogging, social media and the future of wine writing, I’m hoping to learn more about the Washington wine industry. I haven’t been there in over a dozen years and I’m sure a lot has changed, just like here in Sonoma County. I’ll get to play tourist, being entertained by the competition while sipping, swirling, and spitting my way through the region. (This is rare as usually I’m the one who’s doing the entertaining!) I’ll also be representing the Meritage Alliance which is a premier sponsor of this year’s conference. Our Meritage delegation will be pouring member’s wines and educating fellow bloggers about the merits of Meritage. I had hoped we could do a blending competition for conference participants (The Blogger’s Blend Off!) but it just didn’t work out. Maybe next year…

If you haven’t checked out the nominations, you might want to give them a read. Some are winery folks like me, who dabble in blogging. Most are professional writers who specialize in wine. And, some are full fledged bloggers who have transitioned 100% to online writing instead of traditional media. Whatever the case, they deserve your attention, as anyone who has a blog knows that it takes a big commitment.

So, let’s hear it for this year’s nominations to the American Wine Blog Awards! Even though Wilma isn’t on the list this year, I’m proud to be part of the pack.

Conquering My Piles

2010-06-18T17:30:17Z

I am surrounded by piles. Piles of business cards. Piles of correspondence. Piles of meeting notes. Piles of work everywhere I look. Buried beneath the piles is a large stack of resumes. And right on top is the one from my new DREAM GIRL! Yep, I’m pleased to announce I’ve finally found the perfect candidate for my open position. I actually tried to hire a DREAM MAN, but as luck would have it, no one of that gender presented themselves. (Calm down all you HR types, I’m only kidding here!!) So, very soon I’ll be busy training, coaching, and mentoring my new Executive Assistant/Marketing Administrator, Jennifer. She’s got some big shoes to fill, but I’m confident she’s up to the task as she brings loads of administrative, marketing and wine industry expertise to our dynamic little team. And, she’s even passed her Level 1 Master Sommelier exam which is kind of cool too.

So, now that I can check “hiring” off my to-do list, I’ve got to get back to my piles. Top of mind is finishing the follow up from my recent New York trip. I’ve already committed to going back in September, which is just about the time I will have recovered from my last trip! Let me explain.

If you’ve never gone on a sales and marketing trip to New York, you don’t know what you are missing. In fact, spending a week in New York should be REQUIRED for anyone thinking about getting in this business. Because let me tell you, it is a humbling experience. Even for a veteran winery like ours, this market is tough. Luckily we make wines in the price points that people are actually buying these days. And it helps that we’ve got a bit of name recognition along with the delicious quality and fantastic press/accolades. But, clearly we need to get out there and work the market more frequently. Just like anywhere else, it’s a relationship-based business, and who you know is just as important as what you have to offer.

While my last trip seems like a distant memory (boy, a lot can happen in 3 weeks!) the trip entailed a 7 hour distributor trade show, several days of

calling on key accounts, a sales meeting, a dinner with Wine Spectator, and pouring at Wine & Spirits Magazine’s “Top of the List” event for which we had two wines chosen. While it might sound glamorous, it was a case of “we came, we saw, and we did NOT conquer.” So, I’m returning in September to continue to forge relationships, introduce people to our wines, and basically be the cheerleader for Team Dry Creek. (A mascot might be a better choice of words.) In the meantime, I’ve got a lot of piles to clear up so DREAM GIRL doesn’t get the wrong idea. No, I am not a hopelessly disorganized chaotic mess of a person. I’m just another winery owner/chief cook and bottle washer trying to play catch up during a very busy time.

Team Dry Creek Takes New York!

The University of Dry Creek

2010-06-07T19:06:48Z

I’m feeling a little blue. The office next to me is vacant for the first time in
10 years. My assistant is gone and I continue the search for a top notch

replacement. It’s been a frantic couple of weeks as we tried to “dump” everything from her brain into other’s, just as I had done from mine to hers over our many years of working together. In her characteristic style, she managed to handle the transition with grace and ease, for which I am very grateful.

But change, especially when a beloved employee moves on, can have a positive effect too. It encourages new ways of thinking and allows people to inherently grow in their roles and responsibilities. And, the newcomer often brings talents and expertise far beyond the required skills of the job. So, I continue on the recruitment path with several possible candidates coming in for more interviews.

Having one last beer together at
the Dry Creek General Store

We’ve had some amazing people come through our cellar doors over the years. People who started out very humbly and later went on to become famous winemakers, winery owners, etc. In fact, Dry Creek Vineyard could really be called the University of Dry Creek! Just a few weeks ago, I ran into Dan Karlsen. He worked for my dad in the 70s. He had no wine experience and nothing more than a beat up old van, long hair and a dog. But he had just arrived in Healdsburg and was itching to get in the wine business. Lucky for him, he came knocking at the right door. Despite his lack of experience, Dad immediately hired him saying “Don’t worry, I can teach you everything you need to know”. He went on to become General Manager and Winemaker at Chalone Wine Group, and just landed a similar job at Talbott Winery in Monterey County.

Those were the “golden days”, an era when people like my father were breaking ground in an entirely new industry. Kind of like the gold rush of the mid 1800s or the dot com era of the last decade. It didn’t matter how much money you had, or where you went to college. What mattered was having a vision and being passionate in the pursuit of dreams. This euphoric “field of dreams” mentality lasted well through the mid 90s. A perfect example is Miro Tcholakov. Miro was a Bulgarian student who came to work the 1992 harvest for us. He was shy and hardly spoke English. Yet, he embodied the American spirit of work ethic, dreams, and moxy. We eventually promoted him to the position of Cellarmaster which he held until 1999. Later, he went on to become Winemaker at neighboring winery, Trentadue while starting his own brand, Miro. (Along the way, he also became fluent in English and very outgoing!)

Many names come to mind as I reflect on the University of Dry Creek. Jeff McBride, Winemaker from 1998-2003 and now General Manager for Stimson Lane’s Conn Creek Winery, Phyllis Zouzounis who started in our tasting room and later became the first woman to work in our cellar. After many years here, she became Winemaker at Mazzocco Winery, and started her own brand Deux Amis. And there’s Susan Lueker, a quiet intellectual who was our Assistant Winemaker under the guidance of Larry Levin, Dry Creek’s Winemaker from 1981-1998. Today she’s Executive Winemaker at Simi Winery, the historic property owned by beverage alcohol conglomerate, Constellation.

Occasionally, I run into DCV alum who beam with pride as they tell me their story. “Yea, I worked for your dad in the 70s.” When asked how they got the job, it’s generally something like “I ran into Dave at the post office and we just got to talking…”

Sadly, those days are gone. Now it’s all about meticulously screening applicants, asking thought provoking questions and interviewing for hours on end until just the right candidate emerges. Because it can be painful if I don’t get it right!

Besides, the office next to mine is too darn important to fill with someone who doesn’t fit into the University of Dry Creek.

A New Frontier

2010-05-27T20:40:25Z

As many of you know, among the many hats I wear, one is acting President of the Meritage Alliance. Yesterday, we held the annual Meritage Alliance meeting in our cellar. Each year, we feature a guest speaker and this time we were lucky enough to have Tom Wark, whose blog Fermentation: A Daily Wine Blog is one of the more widely read blogs in our industry. Tom is one of those rare gems….a wealth of knowledge and as down to earth as they come. In addition to his reputation as a blogger, he also runs his own PR and Marketing consultancy, Wark Communications. While I haven’t worked with him personally, my hunch is that he’s darn good at what he does.

However before I go into Tom’s thoughts, first I must explain why I’ve been MIA.

My life has been about as topsy turvy as it gets these last few weeks. After a successful yet humbling week in New York, (more on that later) I came home to the unfortunate news that Leone, my personal assistant and marketing manager of 10 years, was leaving the winery. This came as a complete surprise. Needless to say, it felt a bit like having my right arm ripped off– after all, she has been an extremely valuable and trusted member of my team and someone whom I consider a close personal friend. It’s certainly a great loss for me personally and the winery as well, but I do wish her all the best in her new career endeavors. After the initial shock wore off, I immediately went to work on recruiting her replacement. Thank goodness for winejobs.com! Within 24 hours, I already had some strong candidates. While it’s awful to be in this position, it’s a great time to be hiring—it’s just a matter of finding the right fit. So I’m spending every spare moment meeting with candidates, asking thought provoking questions (can you mail merge, coordinate projects, handle details, provide a shoulder to lean on, and oh by the way, pick up my kid in an emergency?!) while trying to find my clone for the next ten years.

Back to the Meritage Alliance meeting - we had a hodge podge of attendees from vintners, journalists, and PR people, although I was disappointed that more didn’t take advantage of this FREE opportunity to learn from one of the best in the business.

Tom covered numerous topics related to blogging and social media – I managed to scribble down a few notes...

Traditional Media (newspapers, magazines, etc.) distributes content to the consumer, and in Tom’s opinion, it is far from dead. The new Social Media is the direct to consumer avenue for distributing content to the consumer. It allows you to have:

	a.		An intimate relationship with customers
	b.		Carry on a one on one conversation with customers
	c.		Have customers become familiar with you in a relaxed and informal manner

The defining essence that ties the two together is that both are vehicles for telling your “brand story.” And, just like with all marketing communications, it is critical to be consistent and “on message,” saying the same thing over and over and over and over again. Then, when you think you’ve said it enough, you start over again! The difference between the two is that traditional media is like the 3 tier system- content goes from the company/product, to the publication/writer, to the consumer. With social media the content goes directly to the consumer. As marketers of just about anything - wine, clothing, computers, whatever, we need to embrace both.

Tom focused heavily on Facebook and actually took us through a step by step look at how it works. He is convinced it’s effective-that it actually can help sell a product and grow a brand, despite what many skeptics (myself included) believe. He stressed the importance of making Facebook a priority-if you’re gonna do it, do it well and do it often. Post info on wines. Post info on events. Post info on wine related topics. Post questions that customers might be interested in. Post photos of customers. Post while you’re on vacation. Post photos of your vacation. Post, Post, Post!

Hmmm, all this left my head spinning…how the heck is anyone supposed to have time for all this??? Sure, I’d like to have a more intimate relationship with my customers. But truth be told, I’d like to start with my husband and kids whom I’ve missed sorely lately.