People

Since launching the Symtrek Partners’ Web site, I have contemplated including a section featuring the people who bring the wine country experience to life, making it more genuine and enjoyable.  Everyone that appreciates wine and/or the wine community will find those featured in the “People” section to be relevant, committed and real – even to a fault.

Throughout the year, Symtrek Partners now showcases personalities that make California Wine Country a unique and special corporate destination for off-site meetings and events.

Jack Ryno »
Winery ownership will probably never happen for me, but part of the fun is talking about the dream.  Well, the other day I was having a casual discussion amongst friends concerning what was involved in getting into the winery business.  That led to an introduction to Mr. Jack Ryno, owner of Winery Transitions in Sonoma County...

Kristie Sheppard »
Over the past couple of years Symtrek Partners has taken advantage of the Napa County Historical Society for data that adds substance to the proposals we submit to potential clients looking to have corporate meetings in wine country.  They have always been willing to help...

Vivienne Sosnowski »
About a year ago I was talking with the folks at the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance concerning some content I was working on for this website--concerning AVA’s.  It was mentioned that I should read a book authored by a local Healdsburg lady that gave some great historic perspective to Sonoma and Napa as a wine growing region....

Delia Viader »
Everyone knows Delia was born in Argentina, received her undergraduate degree in France, came to the US as a grad student and earned a PhD. Good so far, but it gets more interesting. In the early 80’s Delia decided her calling was “making wine”...

Ernie Ilsley »
This is an industry where science embraces Mother Nature in the finest ways.  Cloning, growing and then planting the root stock is raw science that goes to the core of everything;  even human existence…DNA.  It’s the graft above the ground the produces a new clone of a varietal vines.

Jeff Yates »
Mr. Yates is a wine merchant in Wine Country and conducts private seminars and tastings for Symtrek Partner’s corporate clients.

Holly Harman »
Recently, Symtrek Partners wanted a label done and we started asking around.  There are probably 6 good designers in Sonoma and Napa.  But, Holly’s name always came up in conversations.

Peter Weber »
I contacted a cork trade group called Cork Quality Council in Sonoma to explore if there was anything interesting about corks for the next “People” story.  Peter Weber answered the phone and 35 minutes later my head was spinning with all the facts about corks.

Mark Heinemann »
I was asked to do some top level research the other day for a potential client on the actual cost of a bottle of wine.  This topic is not straight forward and is fodder for a future story. 

Ivo Jeramaz »
The interesting thing about this “People” profile is that Ivo is bringing a relatively new approach to vineyard management and wine making, it is called Biodynamic’s®.  This is a holistic approach to giving wine aficianado’s the most natural of wines.

Ned Hill »
One premium grower in Wine Country is a very young guy, at least by my standards, named Mr. Ned Hill.  At 33 years old, he has already been in the wine industry for nearly 25 years. 

Stefen Soltysiak »
Stefen Soltysiak joined Rodney Strong Vineyards in August of 1992.  Rodney Strong Vineyards is dedicated to craftingworld-class Sonoma County wines.

James Laube »
Featured person of interest this month is James Laube.   To a degree, he defines what Wine Country is all about…the end product.   He is recognized as an expert on California wine and has been writing about them from his home in Napa for nearly 30 years.  He plies his trade with Wine Spectator Magazine while maintaining an active blog. 

Don Magorian »
Meet Mr. Don Magorian President of Magorian Mine Services who has been boring, digging, tunneling (whatever you want to call it) wine caves in Wine Country for over 12 years. After talking to him he almost pulled me into having a love affair with building very sophisticated caves for our wines.

Sara Fowler »
Sara Fowler is a Northern California native and an award-winning winemaker that leads a stellar winemaking team at Peju Wines.  She is one of a new burgeoning group of female winemakers.

Thomas Arvid »
Arvid is widely acclaimed for painting wine subjects in a style called ‘photo realistic’, which approaches being an oxymoron for he captures more than a photograph could ever capture!

John Kelly »
John Kelly is a quintessential Sonoma County winemaker.  To him it is all about taking the soil palette Mother Nature gives you and knowing the best varietals to plant to maximize soil conditions.  “The soil tells you what to plant to get the best wines,” says John.