Why did you become a winemaker?
Honestly…I got drafted into the family business. Looking back I couldn’t imagine doing anything else because I love everything I do but I definitely didn’t seek this out.
If you weren’t a winemaker what would you be and why?
Probably a business consultant of some kind. I just love learning about new businesses and more than anything I love fixing and solving problems.
What is your greatest strength as a winemaker?
Strangely enough I think my inexperience. I had to learn everything “quick and dirty” and all on the job. So I feel like I have a great ability to connect to the average person when it comes to wine and I also understand what the average consumer likes wine profile wise.
What is your biggest weakness as a winemaker?
Same answer…inexperience. I don’t have all the very technical knowledge so I rely a lot on others for that. Creates a great team environment but I’m a bit of a control freak so not knowing how to do something is tough for me.
What’s the one mistake you made in the cellar you would never repeat?
I can’t think of one very specific mistake, but general rule I’ve learned over time is not to penny pinch in the cellar. I no longer worry about spending a little money here and there to get the right product…if you do things right the money will come later.
What is your proudest achievement?
Probably when we made the winery profitable. It was always my Dad’s hobby but I was really proud to show that it could also be a business.
What was your scariest vintage to date?
2011…any questions?
What is your favorite word or saying?
“God only gives us what we can handle.”
What is your most prized possession?
My wedding ring.
What’s the oddest thing about you?
I love steak uber rare, Blue Rare to be exact. I’m really picky about it and unfortunately most steak houses can’t nail getting the steak that rare!
What song best sums you up?
“Lionel Richie-Dancing On The Ceiling”…because who wouldn’t want to dance on a ceiling?!
What is your favorite memory?
My wedding and my beautiful bride Betsy!
Which of the five senses is your strongest?
Taste for sure.
What is your biggest motivation?
I’m super competitive and I want to win at everything I do, so I would say winning.
Which bottle of wine would choose to be stranded with on a deserted island?
Our 2012 Father Mathew Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon…that wine is always good for every occasion.
What is the difference between a good and great wine?
Good wine you enjoy, great wine you could drink pretty much every day and never get tired of it.
Name three individuals you would like to have dinner with.
Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II.
Who is your winemaking hero?
I don’t really have a “hero” per se in the wine business.
What does the concept of “balance” mean to you?
Well once thing I really go for in our wine and what I like in other wines is that the wine is a “complete wine” meaning it really hits you at every point on the palate front, mid, and finish.
What is the one thing you want people to remember about your wine?
How much fun they have while drinking it.
Best comment made about your wine? Was it by a consumer, trade or press?
That we make Saturday night wines at Wednesday night prices. Showing the real value and deliciousness of our wines. That was said by a wine club member of ours.
