You’ve pretty much been on all sides of the wine sales process…owning a wine brand, selling for wineries, selling for a distributor, and working in restaurants. How do these jobs differ day to day, and which is hardest?

“I think they all have strengths and weaknesses, depending on the person that's doing them. What I do think it gives me is a unique perspective that some people don't have, in that I can relate to the people that I'm selling to…because I've lived that world to some extent. So whether I'm talking to a person in a kitchen, in a wine shop, at a resort, I've worked in almost every area of hospitality, so there's a commonality.

“So when a conversation comes up, I can relate to it and we can share stories. The stories are really important, especially in the world of wine. And I have found that that varied experience really serves me well. It also gives me an opportunity to continue learning from experiences that are different than when I was washing dishes over 40 years ago.”

What do you think makes a wine brand easier or harder to sell right now? Are there mistakes that you see wine producers making that might hurt their chances to be successful?

“Well, one of the things that I hold very near and dear to my approach is being more traditional than trendy. And traditional doesn't mean boring. You have to evolve, but not go away from your core values, missions, and your approach to business and making wine.

“I think that has served wineries like ours very well, because we're going to stick to the things that we've always done, and occasionally those things become the ‘cool thing,’ like regenerative agriculture and sustainability and being involved in the community…not because it became a big trend on TikTok or on social media. We've always done it that way because it's the right thing to do. Making good, approachable wines at a great price with a story behind it, and really talking about the people…the people are what make the difference.

“My view is really that my job isn't done until the wine is in the glass. And I think that is also unique a lot of times. For me, I like nothing better than to be there when someone's actually enjoying the wine in front of me. That's really cool to me.”

With the stress in the wine business these days, what do you think the next few years look like for wine in the U.S.? Where’s the opportunity?

“There’s talk that people are consuming less alcohol and spending dollars elsewhere, so the overall ‘pie’ might be smaller, with more slices. That means relying on what made wine what it is…the tradition, the communal gatherings, the pairing with food, the enjoying the company of others. Things taken away during COVID. I think people are still hungering for that.

“I do a lot of events, and when you look around and people are raising their glasses…with that opportunity to gather people together, there’s no replacement for wine. It's an agricultural product. It's a biblical product. It's something that is built to gather people together.

“And I think if we just continue to focus on that, if we just stay the course and continue to produce wonderful wines and tell our stories, we'll be fine.”

Bonus: What do you enjoy drinking at home these days, and why?

“You know, with five children, I use this reference sometimes: They say picking your favorite wine is something like picking your favorite child. Of course,our youngest would probably say, ‘Well, that's the easiest question you're ever going to be asked!’

“Often it depends on who you're with, what you're eating, what music you’re listening to. But this time of year, coming through the holidays where there was a lot of eating and a lot of drinking, sometimes it's nice to just have a wine you haven't had in a while and remind yourself what brought you to that bottle.

“So you're never going to see a different bottle in my hand, depending on the moment. I'm still learning. I still like to try wines from other parts of the world. I'm an unapologetic domestic wine aficionado, and if it has a tie to a friend, that's more than likely what will be in front of me.”