Bio

So where do I begin. Who am I to have a blog about wine tasting rooms? Darn good question.

I am a person with strong feelings about customer service and equally strong feelings about the wine industry service. I started my wine passion years ago. I was lucky enough to be living in Yakima Valley, Washington when the wine industry was just starting to blossum and there were just a few wineries in West side of the state.

Having gone to Washington State University I was not new to the concept of alcohol (when I was there they were considered a professional Drinking College). But getting to know there was more to this interesting product than the end result of some not so pleasant experiences came to me at a fairly early age. I am not saying that I have not gone through my Annie Green Springs or Easy Nights phases. But I have always loved favor and being a foodie (before there was that term, but a lady does not discuss age) I soon started to come across some flavors that were too good to just drink they needed to be savored and that lead to learning more and more.

Living in the Yakima Valley during that time was an exciting time to be getting into wines. Napa Valley was of course the only “true” wine region in the U.S. to any wine magazine or “expert”. So with just a few wineries open in the Valley ( I believe there were only 10 or so at that point), when you went to the tasting rooms you usually got the winemaker or family pouring. They were proud of their passion and their pioneering spirit. Sometimes you were lucky enough get to know them well.

This was a great time in the my life. I learned wine from people who’s passion was about their product and they loved to share that passion. Most of them were people who never looked down thier noses at those that did not have their knowledge, but were excited to see new people interested in learning and trying.

I tried my first late harvest at Preston Cellars and I can still remember my surprise at the crisp sweet deep flavor exploding in my mouth. These people were truly pioneers in a region that had a history of growing Hops for some of the biggest beer brewers in the states.

I had my first Port at Hinzerling. (thanks Mike for starting a life long addiction to Ports and cigars….an expensive habit thank you). I remember those first wines and ports almost like you would remember a first kiss.

When I moved back to the Spokane area I was lucky enough to get to try the other side of the coin and get to be the person sharing my passion with others. I got to manage the tasting room at Worden winery (sadly no longer with us) another pioneer in opening a winery in Spokane.

Every day I shared my passion for customer service and blended that will the joy of sharing a great wine with people from all over the world. I learned from my customers and from the winemakers. By then Washington wines were starting to make a name for themselves and more and more wineries were opening in the Yakima Valley and now it was the Columbia Valley region and the Walla Walla area was getting there first few vines and a few wineries. Oregon was starting to put out some wonderful Pinot and Syrahs and California was starting to loose its status as the only wine region of the U.S. We have come a long way baby!

So I managed the tasting room for a few years and hosted tons of great fun events. But the most important thing to me was that every customer who came to that winery got the same kind of fun and personal experience that I remember from when I started my journey in learning wines.

Unfortunately I moved on as other responsibilities grew in my life and moved into other careers. In all though the one continuing thread is my passion for customer service and customer experience. Over the years I kept my hand in the wine industry mainly as a customer but helping out with tastings and events. I have watched the industry in our state grow and grow. I still work in a tasting room or event occasionally and so see this issue from both sides. I have had some wonderful times at wineries and some not so wonderful times. This blog is to help me keep learning and to have a chance to change the face of the tasting room. I want to give back to the industry that has given me so much pleasure and fun!