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Who Woulda Thought? |
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This year marks our twentieth year since leaving University of California at Davis, where we were toiling as post graduate research associates for the Department of Viticulture and Enology, to
embark on our careers as DeVine Consultants. And with due credit to Jerry Garcia, "What a long strange trip it's been." |
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Vineyard managers have done little private vineyards on a moonlighting basis for time immemorial. We were the first to define backyard vineyards into a distinctive
specialty. Custom Home Vineyards® is a registered trademark of DeVine Consultants and stands as a certified mark of distinction for the members of our Family of Vineyards. |
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Some of our earliest tribulations are beginning to soft focus into dimming memories all these years and experiences later. One of our first daunting tasks was to convince people in the Santa Cruz
Mountains that there was, in fact, a legal crop that could be grown in the region that also provided world-class results. In that sense, the proof is in the bottles. |
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More difficult in our formative days was delivering the answer, as two kids, to the question, "What will we do with a vineyard when you two have given up and gone away?" The vineyards of our earliest
clients serve as a testimonial that those good folks had as much faith in our answer, "Trust us, we're not going anywhere," as they had a desire to have one of the world's most unique vineyards. To
those who stood by us in those early times, thank you for your trust and we trust your estate vineyards serve as a resounding gratitude from us. |
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Another lasting impression was the semi-regular calls we would get from our professional wine friends reporting homes for sale in Napa, as though our dream was only really a pipe dream, and that our relocation to a
traditional wine life in Napa was imminent. What they failed to properly credit was just how unemployable Eddy really is. In addition to establishing a novel winegrowing company, we have accomplished it in a novel
manner. Our first step with a prospective client is to try and dissuade them. After all, once the romance of a home vineyard has worn off, what is left is a permanent project. And the project is farming, perhaps
the most tenuous of all endeavors. Instead of slamming in vineyards willy nilly to maximize shekels, we believed it was better to do less so we could concentrate on those who wanted it more. One twisted sense of
satisfaction we have particularly enjoyed occurs whenever a client tells us that they probably would have moved a long time ago--were it not for their Custom Home Vineyards™. In 1987, we hired our first full time
employee, Jerry Denues, who was an integral part of DeVine Consultants for ten years. When our waiting list for new vineyards grew to longer than three years, we grudgingly
acceded to delegation. Our constant
philosophy in developing a production crew has been to maintain a family atmosphere. We even try to meet the parents of all who join us. A sign that we've been in this game for some time now is that some of the parents are now younger than we are. Slowly and painstakingly we have assembled a group of individuals who are here because they want to be here, not because they just need some job. We are proud to have our entire assemblage represent us, knowing their convictions. Purposefully avoiding cut-rate labor alternatives, we are unwavering in our belief that far superior results are
achieved by people who care.
Our mission to make wine fun and accessible to everyone is facilitated in the Santa Cruz Mountains by our production company providing people full services. We have been able to reach people more broadly over
the years with our seminars, wines, articles, television, consultations, and even this web site. And we're not done yet -- not by a long shot. A little while back, a landscaper-cum-vineyardist armed with a little
bit of research and a very glossy brochure approached one of our crew. He was under the distinct impression that there was a gap for him to fill as the owners of DeVine Consultants are by now old and doddering, and
approaching impending retirement. Old?--OK, we'll grant that one. Doddering--OK, that one's arguable. Retirement?--with credit to the Carpenters, "We've only just begun." |
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Home Wines, They're Not Spaghetti Reds Anymore |
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Armed with some rudimentary equipment, some basic knowledge, and great winegrapes, home winemakers are able to produce wines comparable to some of the world's finest. The key is to get those great
grapes. |
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Unfortunately for most home winemakers, the grapes available are not always, or even occasionally, of a very satisfying quality. The vinification process turns out more fun than the subsequent sensory
evaluation. Wine style is determined in the winery while the wine's potential is established in the vineyard. Bluntly put, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. |
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We're willing to play a part in seeing some world-class wines come out of some home cellars by helping growers willing to sell top quality fruit in lot sizes suitable to home winemakers, and home winemakers
seeking that fruit, to get together. E-mail devineconsultants@microwinery.com if you have quality fruit to sell or winemaking needs to fill and we'll do our best to get you together. |
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We'll stand by our notion that the ingredient that makes wine taste best is your sweat in it, figuratively speaking, of course. |
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