I just now became aware of a TERRIFIC new wine blog from a long time wine industry insider that has all the markings of being a great regular read.
Many of you will know Kim Stare Wallace. Kim is VP of one of Sonoma County's most loved and most venerable wineries: Dry Creek Vineyards. In her newish blog, Wilma's Wine World, she legitimately and properly refers to herself as an "insider". As Kim writes in her "About" section:
"I literally grew up in the wine industry and have spent the last 23 years of my professional life working for our family winery, Dry Creek Vineyard I’ve held just about every job imaginable--from the office to the cellar, but figured out long ago that I was a lot better at the marketing side of the business than the winemaking. (Thank goodness for our wines too!) Currently I serve as Vice President working side by side with my husband running the daily operations of our 35 year old business."
What's really interesting is the insight Kim offers on just this issue (being an insider) in one of her blog posts where she takes note of the fact that more and more she does not know all the players in even her local industry. This speaks not only to the new blood that has entered the Sonoma Wine Industry of late but also of its vibrancy...not Kim's lack of insider status.
What you are going to get at Wilma's Wine World is some really fun reading the comes with glimpses into the life of a person at the dead center middle of running a very respected and very visible winery. The most current post is a perfect example wherein Kim explains the dynamics of the regular "family meetings" that occur and that are not all smiles and simplicity. It's great stuff.
The challenge for any winery owner that takes up blogging is keeping up with the necessary task of regularly writing. It's not like Kim has nothing else do do and can sit around in skivies and write blog posts all day. She's got to get that Fume Blanc into the market, make sure the right corks have arrived and make sure her distributors are doing their duty.
Here's to hoping that Kim can give us enough of her time.
