Yikes. The holidays are here!  How does this happen every year???  I always swear I’m going to be better prepared, so I don’t turn into The Grinch. But as usual, the end of November arrived and I’m still buried in end of year budgeting, sales meetings, marketing planning, production projections, and all the usual mish mash so we can hit the ground running in 2009.  And of course, there’s always the last minute push to capture holiday wine sales.

So, my blogging has taken a back seat lately. But I didn’t want Thanksgiving to come and go without sharing one of my favorite family recipes. My world famous Apple Parmesan Pie. Well it’s not exactly world famous, but in our household, it’s an annual tradition and a dish that passes the Food Meister’s (my husband) inspection. I’ve been making this pie for over 25 years and it is one of my favorite dishes to serve during the holidays.

It might seem like no big deal, but this recipe has an emotional connection for me.  Because, in my family, there’s a little secret.  Mom can’t cook. Well, it’s not exactly that Mom can’t cook. (Heck, I even went to a fancy French cooking school at the tender age of 18.) It’s just that Dad is a better cook. And, cooking for the holidays is always managed by Dad. He assumes this role with great gusto and clearly enjoys giving out orders to all that enter the kitchen.  So, while The Food Meister is sautéing, deglazing, stuffing, and roasting, I’m generally relegated to chopping, peeling, and washing endless amounts of dishes. Of course, a yummy glass of wine is never too far away, which always makes my job more enjoyable.

If you haven’t finalized your Thanksgiving menu yet, give this recipe a try. It’s fool proof, and absolutely delicious. And, if you happen to have a bottle of our Soleil (Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc) handy, you’ve got a perfect dessert wine to end your holiday meal.

Many blessings for a joyous Thanksgiving!

P.S. If you have a favorite recipe to share, I’d love to add it to my repertoire. I’ll let you know if it passes The Food Meister test!

Not exactly Turkeys, but beautiful just the same! Dry Creek Valley, November 21, 2008.

Believe it or not, there are days when being in the wine industry can be down right depressing. But, today wasn’t one of them. Today was one of those special days when food, wine, and conviviality all came together in the name of good fun and good friends. No hidden sales agendas.  No selling your soul to a standoffish wine buyer. No glad-handing to get the wine by the glass pour at some glitzy restaurant.

No, today was a day of pure and simple schmoozing…and schmoozing in a good way, with genuinely nice people, all connected by wine. The Captain and his wife, Audrey Bowers, own Captain’s Tavern one of Miami’s landmark seafood restaurants. Each year they make an annual pilgrimage to Sonoma County to share boatloads of fresh stone crab with their winemaker friends. It’s their way of saying thanks to all of us for making the great wines that they sell at their restaurant in Florida. (How’s that for a change?!)

It started years ago at the Canyon Road Winery and is held now at the bucolic McMurray Ranch (Gallo owned) in the Russian River Valley. Our dear friend Chip Cassidy from Crown Wine and Spirits in Florida connected us with The Captain years ago and ever since, we’ve been very grateful to be among the handful of invitees to this incredible afternoon of eating crab and sipping our friend’s latest vintages. There’s something very special about tasting the latest Chardonnay from Chateau Montelana with Heidi and Bo Barrett. Or, tasting a new Pinot Noir from William Selyem and realizing that they’re still rock stars with this varietal. Of course, eating unlimited amounts of stone crab didn’t hurt either! And, not one person mentioned the economy, the election, or Wall Street, which frankly was rather refreshing.

Blogging is a bit like exercising. Once I get into it, I’m on a roll. But as soon as things get too hectic, my best efforts are completely derailed. And, I don’t know about you, but I find it very hard to get back on the treadmill after I’ve been off for a while. That is why it is uncanny that this is my 50^th post!

When I started this blog, I did so very reluctantly. It was only after much cajoling by Jim Laube of Wine Spectator that I finally gave in. It’s pretty hard to ignore advice like that even if I do hate computers. Now, 50 posts later, I guess I’m a veteran blogger in a growing sea of wine blogs. This milestone comes on the heels of just attending the first North American Wine Blogger’s Conference. Over 170 bloggers from across the country gathered in Sonoma County to taste, tour, learn and blog about wine. And, I was right there with them.

It was great to finally put the names with the faces I’ve met online. Deb Harkness of www.goodwineunder20.blogspot.com, Tom Wark of www.fermentation.typepad.com, Gabe Sasso of www.gabesview.com, Gary Vaynerchuk of tv.winelibrary.com, Alder Yarrow of www.vinography.com, Jason Alexander of www.stormhoek.com, and many many others.

You’d have to live under a rock to not realize that blogging and other forms of social media are changing the business world. For over 75 years, media content and consumer information have been tightly controlled by the news/media/information industries. This is no longer true. Today, anyone can have a voice and share their opinions on just about any subject, reaching millions of people around the world without even leaving their living room. When you think about it, it’s truly awesome. Of course with that, comes an awful lot of clutter/junk. Still, opportunities abound for bloggers and businesses alike during this unprecedented time.  If you’re just getting into blogging, here are a few conference observations:

Wine bloggers do not fit a consistent mold. Some are young and edgy. Some are mature with graying hair. Most are somewhere in between. Nearly all are passionate with a quirky off beat outlook that contradicts the established forms of wine writing and wine reviewing that exists today. Generally all have a day job and cram their penchant for blogging in on weekends and the wee hours of the night.  Nearly all would also like to make money from their blog but few will actually do so.  In fact, the chances for financial success are so slim that even the most successful wine bloggers today, including Tom Wark of www.fermentation.typepad.com and Alder Yarrow of www.vinography.com continue to support themselves in other manners. As Tom put it, the few extra dollars he actually makes from selling advertising on his blog barely pays for the tequila he consumes on his vacations to Mexico. As for folks like me, blogging has to be a passion. It has to be fun. It can’t be another business responsibility or chore like employee reviews or expense account forms. Or, you’ll never stick with it.

Gary Vaynerchuk of WineLibrary TV put it best.  This feisty entrepreneur has revolutionized the wine industry with his humorous and irreverent online wine recommendations. Don’t believe me? Just ask the 100,000+ people who regularly watch his videos or vlogs.  At one point, someone asked Gary how they could get more visitors to their blog. Gary asked, “How many hours of sleep are you getting?” When the answer was 6 or 7, Gary promptly retorted, “Well, that’s the problem, you’re just not spending enough time on your blog!”

Blogging isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes a commitment and it can NOT be a transparent attempt to sell a product. If you’re thinking about starting one for your own business, or you've already taken the plunge, you may have additional thoughts to share...

I’ve been knee deep in the interviewing process lately. It’s rare that I have the opportunity to hire new talent, and when I do, it’s a painstaking and time-consuming process. And, between us, it’s one of my least favorite things to do.

Because I don’t want to screw up!

Everyone knows that bringing on top-notch employees is vital to one’s success. But finding the right person, well-that’s another matter. I mean, how are you really supposed to know if someone is right for the job without a trial period??

I’ve decided that hiring should be more like shopping. If I like something, most stores will let me buy it and take it home to try it out. That way I can see if I am truly satisfied. If not, I simply return the item for a full refund. What a great way to solve the staffing crapshoot! “You’re hired, but on one condition. I’ll give you a try for 30 days and if at the end of that time, you’re driving me nuts, don’t do as you said you would, or you have some annoying or disgusting workplace habit, I’ll return you for a full refund.”   Better yet, I’ll take home a NEW and IMPROVED model with an extended warranty period! 

This would sure solve a lot of things. Like the time we hired a receptionist, who was so crabby, I swear I overheard her answer the phone, “Good morning, Dry Creek Vineyard. What the hell do you want?”  Or the marketing assistant who refused to work weekends and was morally opposed to the business of turning grapes into wine. (It just never occurred to me to ask her if she approved of my line of work.)

Yep, we’ve sure run the hiring gamut over the years. From uppity winemakers to finicky office workers to moody hospitality staff.  But thankfully we have some wonderful longtime employees who are part of the family.

And for them I’m supremely grateful.

But all this searching for the perfect candidate made me realize there are some secrets the successful candidate needs to know. These are the things that DON’T come out in the interview process, but trust me, they are important to know!  

WILMA'S ADVICE FOR WORKING AT A FAMILY OWNED WINERY

Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive? If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Zinfandel.

Zinfandel is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Zinfandel can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Zinfandel almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses, you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live. Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had.

Stop hiding and start living, with Zinfandel.

Zinfandel may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Zinfandel. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side Effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister.

Have you ever wanted to be a wine critic? Or fancied the idea of posting your own wine reviews for the whole world to see? Or, maybe you just want to read truly unbiased opinions (as opposed to those of the owner or winemaker) before you plop down your hard-earned cash for a bottle of vino.  Well now you can. We’ve just launched a very cool new feature on the Dry Creek Vineyard web site and online store that puts writing wine reviews in the hands of those who matter most--our customers! Much like the customer review technology used on sites like Amazon, TripAdvisor or Zappos, our new system allows people to rate our wines themselves and write real life commentary about their experiences.

When my IT gal first proposed the idea, I must admit to being just a little bit hesitant. It reminded me of a popularity contest in grade school that I lost. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized what a great tool this could be for people. And, NO ONE is doing it! Besides, what have we got to lose? We have such absolute faith in the quality of our wines, why should we be afraid to put ourselves out there for public scrutiny?

It’s been “live” for just under a week. And the reviews so far, have been nothing short of remarkable. Most have come from our wine club members, but others are starting to pour in too. I’m sure one of these days some prankster will write something that will make me shudder. (“This wine went particularly well with the lamb innards and bat excrement my wife prepared for me on our 25th anniversary.”) OR, it might even make me blush. (No I don’t want to know the intimate details of how our wines have enhanced someone's love life.) But that’s ok. Everyone is entitled to their opinion…that’s the whole idea.

So, if you have a minute, click on the link and check it out. Better yet, leave a review. Just try to keep it G rated so I don’t have to do any ‘splaining to the kids tonight.

I’m still pinching myself.  For the first time in 36 years we have won a Sweepstakes Award at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair! On Saturday night, our 2007 Fumé Blanc was selected the “White Wine of the Year” out of 1051 entries. Talk about exciting…we still can’t believe it.

That’s the good news. Now here’s the bad: I missed the whole darn thing! Every year we submit wines for judging at the Harvest Fair. And for decades, we’ve attended the swanky awards night, donning our best duds, standing shoulder to shoulder, sipping wines and grazing hors d’oeuvres while we anxiously await the announcement of all the medal winners. I have honestly gone to this event so many times, I’ve lost count. (All I know is that some of the people aren’t aging as gracefully as their wines!)    

But this year it was a case of the kids come first. Our teenage daughter asked at the last minute if she could invite a few friends over, namely a boy. This was a parenting opportunity just too good to miss. So there we were chaperoning a bunch of pimply-faced teenagers, when we got the call. We’d won the Biggest Award in Sonoma County for our signature white wine-unbelievable! It’s a little bit like winning an Oscar right here in our own backyard. Judges come from all over the country to competitively taste the bounty of the county. And, while we’ve won scores of gold, silver and bronze medals over the years, we’ve never won the coveted Sweepstakes Award.

So if you haven’t tried our signature Fumé Blanc, this is the vintage to try. It’s absolutely delicious with zippy, zesty, invigorating citrus fruit flavors and aromas. And, at $14.50 a bottle, you needn’t feel guilty about splurging on a Sweepstakes Winner!  

Every September, I tread off to Napa for the annual Wine Industry Financial Symposium. Now in its 17^th year, this conference is supposed to give us the latest and greatest in financial information, so we can run our businesses better and navigate the choppy waters of our times.  I’m not sure it achieves all that, but it does provide a snapshot of trends, challenges and opportunities. Of particular interest, are the results of an industry survey that the University of California at Davis puts out.

I remember years ago when neo-Prohibitionists were considered our primary threat. Everyone was a buzz about how to protect our beloved industry. We came away well versed and armed with talking points on how to combat the anti-alcohol movement. Then there was the year that White Zinfandel was proclaimed the next best thing. (Thankfully, this one passed us right by!) After that it was Chardonnay. This was followed by Merlot. Then, one year we learned about Generation X. I was a Generation Xer myself, and I began to spend way too much time trying to analyze the demographics of my social circle.  Of course that was BK (before kids) and The Husband and I had a lot more time to sit around and ponder this stuff while drinking a good bottle of Zinfandel!

This year, the over-riding messages were consolidation (both at the distributor and winery level), Internet sales, and the potential of the Millennial generation to be the largest market for fine wine in the history of America. Every year, 4 million people turn 60, and another 4 million will turn 21. So the market is growing. And unlike my parent’s generation, or even my own, these young people are enthusiastic about wine and not afraid to experiment.

The symposium has changed a great deal over the years. It used to be 75% of attendees were winery owners with just a small group of bankers, venture capitalists, and financiers. Despite the economy, I was struck by the sheer number of “guys in suits” representing the financial industry in one form or another. Bankers, private equity firms, analysts, insurance agents…all there making it clear that money is available and brands are desirable for acquisition, growth and consolidation. There was an entire panel devoted to this. And while we all hesitantly speculated about the impact of the situation on Wall Street, we agreed with cautious optimism that when times are tough, people still drink. And, wine is a relatively affordable luxury.

Probably the most profound realization was when I looked around the room. To my left sat Margaret Duckhorn (Duckhorn Vineyards). To my right was Warren Winiarski (Stags Leap), both pioneers of iconic brands who’ve been acquired recently. I realized what a dinosaur I’m becoming…an endangered species practically, as few of the people I grew up with are still around. Even keynote speaker Michael Mondavi, who spoke passionately about the importance of authenticity and family values in branding today, was a harsh reminder of the rapidly changing environment in which we do business.

I came away with a new mantra. AUTHENTICITY. The fact that we've been that way for over 36 years, and now it's considered trendy is somewhat ironic.

Sometimes it seems that everyone and their brother is after a free case of wine. Every charitable cause known to mankind has hit us up for a donation at one time or another. It’s just one of the things I’ve come to expect and accept about being in this industry. But I must admit it gets a bit old after a while, especially when budgets are tight and the financial pressure is on.

Mothers Against the Cruelty of Moths. Concerned Citizens in the Fight Against Hickeys. Or my favorite, Snowboarders in Search of a Future. Just kidding of course, but honestly, we could give away every last drop of the stuff to worthy causes if we were so inclined. And that’s just the wine. At one point our cash donations were the equivalent of an entire employee!  So for the last few years, we’ve tried hard to limit our charitable donations to local causes, schools and our support of US SAILING. But, another one recently pulled at our heart strings -The National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

My sister was afflicted with MS several years ago. So, I have witnessed first hand how debilitating and unexpected this disease can be. And currently, there’s no cause and no cure.

A couple of months ago, I was approached by the Northern California MS chapter about getting involved in their largest fundraising event, Bike MS: Waves to Wine Ride 2008. This annual event attracts cycling enthusiasts from all over the world in the fight against Multiple Sclerosis. This year, over 1700 cyclists cruised the scenic roads of wine country, winding past our winery to the finish line at Lake Sonoma. We provided boatloads of wine and pledged $1 a bottle for Fumé Blanc sales in the tasting room. While it doesn’t come close to the $1.3 million dollars they raised, it felt good to support something that directly hits home with my family.

Next year, I hope to get off my duff and form our own team in honor of my sister. No more excuses, it’s time to just do it! 
 

I am in the middle of a very exciting project and one that only comes around every so often — a complete new label design! For those of you who are die hard Dry Creek fans, and love our sailboat labels, don’t worry, I’m not getting rid of our characteristic sailboats (horrors!).  Nor, am I going to some weird outlandish design, what I call the “hey, look at me damnit” label.  (Lord knows there are enough of those out there.)  And, I promise you no critters will ever grace our labels!

Rather, it’s a refinement of the original design and layout, with a revised use of the oil paintings that we had commissioned by local artist Michael Surles years ago. I’m working with Tony Auston of Auston Design Group, who by the way, I highly recommend.

A project like this, for a brand like Dry Creek is tricky. We have years of brand recognition and very identifiable wine labels. And, we can’t afford to screw it up!  But, it’s time we have a package that reflects the true quality and distinction of our wines. So while sailing and all things nautical are still family passions, I’m toning them down a bit to portray a more upscale and serious image. But don’t think we’re going to get all snooty and arrogant like so many others who’ve entered this industry. No way man. However a grown up version of our former selves is in order, given the serious quality of our wines these days.

I’m also hoping to come up with a tagline that we can use. Something that captures the true essence and authenticity of our family winery and wines. So, if there are any brilliant word meisters out there, I’d love to hear your ideas!