Q&A with Heidi Bridenhagen, Winemaker, MacRostie Winery and Vineyards
Heidi’s eyes were opened to the world of wine after an internship in the lab at Jackson Family Wines. Armed with a degree in biochemistry, and following stints at various winery lab and cellar facilities, she soon decided her life’s goal was to become a great winemaker. Heidi was hired at MacRostie in 2011, first […]
Q&A with Alex Guarachi, Owner, Guarachi Family Wines & Guarachi Wine Partners
Soccer was his first love. But after an athletic injury, he realized that going pro was no longer an option and he needed to find a different career. He had the idea to become an importer of Chilean wines and found a brand that offered a good quality-to-price ratio. But before he could expand that […]
Q&A with Garry Brooks, Brooks Note Winery
Garry started his career as a sailor in the Navy, stationed on the USS Fletcher, where he worked mostly on the bridge of the ship, 40 feet above the water, helping to keep it on course. There he learned that through willpower and tenacity, one can accomplish anything. Twenty-hour days were the norm. He learned […]
Q&A with Emma Rosenbush & Charlie Miller, Tomales Vineyard
Charlie grew up with the scent of ferments in his family’s garage in Woodside CA and has made wine for Mt Difficulty (NZ), AP Vin, and La Honda Winery. Emma experienced the freedom and art and chaos of being a teenager in NYC and then after college went on to start a pop-up restaurant in […]
Q&A with Mike & Bea Charles, Owners, Lavio Vineyard
When Bea’s dad started talking about succession planning for his dairy ranch, she and her husband, Mike, thought they might finally make their dream of owning a vineyard come true. But it wasn’t until a chance meeting at a PGWA BBQ that Bea’s dad was convinced by Mr. Flocchini that grapes were a good alternative […]
Q&A with Mike & Lorraine Barber, Winemaker-Owners, Barber Cellars
Mike grew up in California and Lorraine is from Toronto; as a young adult, she didn’t even like wine. When Mike told Lorraine he wanted to make some wine, her first thought was “it would be from a kit,” but that’s not what he had in mind. To his surprise, she agreed. They hauled a […]
Q&A with Mia Stornetta, Atlas Vineyard Management
Growing up, Mia Stornetta’s family almost always had wine on their dinner table, while the conversation focused on cows and grapes. During high school, she participated in pruning contests and when it came time to decide on a career path, there wasn’t any question about pursuing agriculture. Mia headed south from Sonoma to attend Cal […]
Q&A with Gray Randolph, Gray Randolph Wines
Gray Randolph grew up in Virginia Beach in the 80’s, and started his career as a professional musician, playing drums for Locals Only, the rock band that opened for The Ramones and The Romantics. After 7 years of living out of a suitcase and staying up til 3 in the morning, he decided to get […]
Q&A with Suzanne Farver, Panther Ridge
Suzanne Farver’s search for the perfect vineyard didn’t yield the results she was seeking; but once she found the perfect home with ten acres on a ridge of hay and thistle halfway up Sonoma Mountain, the path forward was settled. She would develop the vineyard herself. It required moving tons of boulders and a battle […]
Q&A with Dr Liz Thach, MW, Emeritus Member of PGWA’s Board of Directors & Distinguished Professor of Wine, Sonoma State University
Wine is her passion. In little more than a decade, Liz Thach achieved a Master of Wine, was awarded a Fulbright to teach in Argentina about the business of wine, and began teaching at Sonoma State University, where she currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Wine. Liz was recently appointed as an Emeritus member of […]
