Q&A with Kevin Bersofsky, Winemaker-Owner, Montagne Russe Wines
Kevin Bersofsky’s dad was a “rocket scientist,” who designed control systems for ballistic missiles and spy satellites. As a kid, Kevin was challenged to “think deeper” and not just settle for an easy answer. Taking that cue, he went on to graduate from Cornell with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. One of his first jobs […]
Q&A with Sherry Crichfield, Co-Owner, Crichfield + Black
Sherry Crichfield grew up on a tobacco farm in Southern Ohio; the farm was regulated by the US Government’s New Deal Quota System. Her family had 7-10 acres of Burley tobacco, which she and her siblings farmed along with her mother. Later in life, she went on to become a sales rep, where she gained […]
Q&A with Randy Bennett, Winemaker & General Manager, Sojourn Cellars
Randy Bennett started his career at Accenture, a well-known international business consultancy that empowers companies to be their best. Driven by his passion for wine, in 2006 he left the comfort of a successful career as a consultant, to pursue winemaking. His first position in the wine industry was interning with Thomas Brown and Mike […]
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 […]
