Photographs by Richard Perry/The New York Times

We are all familiar with Gary Vaynerchuk and his gen-crazy style of marketing and wine tasting. But the truth is, the guy is incredibly successful. He is a tour de force in the wine world, gathering more new wine lovers than any other wine critic or writer in the world, I’d dare say. The following is an article in the New York Times. Check it out.
The Pour – This Wine Critic Can Drive People to Drink – NYTimes.com

One of my favorite episodes contained this description, which is also mentioned in the NYT article.

[W]hen he talked about another pinot noir from the Sonoma Coast, a 2006 Kanzler, he seemingly went off the deep end in describing its flavor:

“You hit a deer, you pull off to the side of the road, then you stab the deer with a knife, cut it, and bite that venison, and put a little black pepper and strawberries on it and eat it, like a mean, awful human being. That’s what this tastes like.”

I’ve got to love his ingenuity, his uniqueness, his passion. Gary Vaynerchuk makes me laugh: bottom line. And for that reason, I will continue to support his crazy antics. And I can guarantee that I’ll learn something along the way.

A year ago today… I posted this interview with Annette Bergevin and Amber Lane of Bergevin Lane Vineyards. Since then they have continued to impress. So I wanted to make sure this interview didn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Link to the original: Bergevin Lane and the People | amyrootvik.com

They’ve recently done a fun video for American Winery’s “Straight from the Source” series.
This provides all sorts of interesting details, like the drama of the paint. Will it ever match the floor? Perhaps you should visit to find out.

Also, I love the candor or their blog. Find it at http://bergevinlane.blogspot.com. As I noted in the interview, they seem to love the people… and people love them. See pictures in their latest post from Spring Release 2009.

More and more and more great Walla Walla wine. Gotta love it.

Check out this great video from Jeremy Gonzalez.

Thought you all might like this. Ashley is a star in the Walla Walla wine scene and I’m a huge fan. Glad to see even more publicity for her.

Jeremy Gonzales did a fun feature on winner of Bravo TV’s Top Chef Season 4, Stephanie Izard, and her time in Walla Walla for Barrel Tasting Weekend. She served up a mouthwatering menu for guests of Saviah Cellars, food paired with wine, of course. She said she enjoyed her time in Walla Walla, partaking in the barrel tasting festivities. Jeremy followed her to several local wineries and tasting rooms, including Sleight of Hand Cellars, one of my personal favorites.

All in all it appears that a good time was had by all. And in the end, Chef Stephanie compared Walla Walla to Vegas. Say what?! Yes, Vegas. For anyone who hasn’t experienced the marathon tastings of our big weekends, you don’t know what you’re missing.

You can view the video at the UB site by clicking on the image or link below.

UBVideo » Blog Archive » Bravo TV’s Top Chef visits Walla Walla

Final question: Is it true that what happens in Walla Walla stays in Walla Walla?

I’ve been asked to write an interview with a cappuccino. But where to start?

Amy: How do you feel about the weather here in Walla Walla? This morning it rained for 63 seconds and has been overcast the rest of the day.

Cap: Perfect day for me.

A: What makes it perfect?

C: Why wouldn’t it be perfect? I’m a cappuccino.

A: Do you think Earl Hooker “Simply the Best” on the radio adds to the appreciation of the drinks here at the Walla Walla Roastery?

C: I’d always prefer live music. But it certainly sets a mood better than jet engines.

A: What are your thoughts on Sarah Palin as we prepare for the debate this evening?

C: Are you kidding me? We haven’t met. Maybe you should ask Tang.

A: Will you be watching the debate?

C: Only if you are.

A: How much longer are you planning to stick around?

C: To be honest, that’s kind of up to you. But I’m really wanting to meet a nice Syrah. Any thoughts on that? See, who is the interviewer now?

A: Well, I’ve got a lovely K Vintners MCK I’d like you to meet this evening. But back to you, how is your self esteem in this valley flooded with wine?

C: Couldn’t be better. Have you seen me? Seriously, why wouldn’t I feel great? Wine and cappuccino. Great match. Why do you think I’m so excited about your MCK friend?

A: Anything else you’d like to say today?

C: Yes. This is my favorite art show the Roastery has ever had. Sarah Stanley has done these fascinating multi-media pieces that I could spend an entire afternoon pondering. Come check it out.

A: Thank you for sharing with us today. I hope to see you again very soon.

C: My pleasure.

DaMa Wines: owned by Dawn Kammer and Mary Derby.

As I’m on my way to Dawn’s house I pass Mary headed the other direction on her bicycle. Hmm. I could have sworn the interview was today. When I reach the house a comedy of errors ensues. I go to one door and it can’t be unlocked. I go to the side door only to be told Dawn is in the backyard. I go into the back garden in time to see Dawn head around the other side of the house. This is going to be good!

Eventually, we find each other and I pull out my notes. We sit down at a beautiful wooden table in the garden. Dawn gets me water with lemon. And we start to talk. Yes, Mary will be joining us.

I ask Dawn about the tasting room: People talk about your tasting room. What feel are you going for, what atmosphere do you want in the tasting room?

Dawn: Well, our long term plans were to have a space that was simple, elegant, but not at all girly. Beautiful but not intimidating. Fun. We didn’t need another Tuscan style tasting room in Walla Walla. That was the last thing we wanted.

About this time Mary and Simon, Mary’s son, arrive. Simon goes to play in the yard with Tessa, one of Dawn’s daughters, and the dog. Mary joins us at the table under a large umbrella.

They tell me they had an original idea for a gathering spot for women to come together to drink, talk about wine, books, and the like. “But then you need tables… permits… etc.”

So back to their tasting room, Tuscan was out. “But funky – a little bit.” They knew they wanted the funk for sure.

Dawn and Mary (they talk over each other here): Once we got that specific space… it felt right. Modern, but not… red for sure. Red white and black. Then we added that cool blue and light green.

Mary: Modern, but not austere, not cold.

Dawn: Then there was Brian. Brian is a movie set designer. [And long time friend of Mary’s.] He got involved and built everything around the logo. Asian cowboy!

Mary: So then we had a budget.

Dawn: He sent a little model. We loved it. Perfect!

I ask them more about the logo and their brand. This influenced every stage of their development.

Mary: We really like our wines, but it’s about the whole atmosphere. Is the wine almost secondary?

Dawn: It’s the selling of the image, the lifestyle. It starts with the tasting notes!

Of course the tasting notes are fun and sassy. And they come from the perspective of women, often mothers—from stay at home moms to those with full-time work outside the home. With this notion in mind I love hearing them talk about telling the designer to get stuff from Home Depot and Lowes. That was their budget. The process was fascinating.

The both bring up the chandeliers, reminiscing about Brian calling them to come check them out. They weren’t sure based on his description. But, as they both agree, “The chandeliers, they’re so bad they’re good!”

What are your goals for your wines?

Mary: We’re not looking to be putting out a scoring wine. I don’t really care about playing that game. We’re not playing the numbers game. I like our wines. It’s a good price. Why not come and just enjoy us? We’ve put wines out there for scores, but feel kinda creepy about it. Wine doesn’t have to be so serious.

Dawn: We want to put out a nice everyday wine that we could charge more for but we don’t want to…. And now people talk about us.

I know you two are full of ideas. What are your plans and ideas for the future of DaMa Wines?

Dawn: We want to pull in things we’re interested in. Trunk shows are good. We want to build it around a theme of our wine. Probably most important to us is the giving back part. We’d love to be big one day and be able to sponsor something really big. We’d love to franchise, go global, with that same feeling.

Both: I think our labels are more our babies than our wines.

Mary: we have an idea and then we make a wine that works with it.

What about franchising and expansion, including higher production? How do you want to go about that?

Mary: Our goal is to expand, taking on a board of women directors. Five or six women to help push us along to make it even more special. Production is now at 2500 cases. We want to expand now! Yes. In the next three years we’ll at least double if not more. It depends on where we can find the right fruit. But it has to fit the profile.

Here they share with me just a teaser of some of the big plans they’re keeping under wraps. And I’ve got to tell you, I’m excited. These are big ideas!

Mary: To make a difference, we have to be over 10,000 cases.

Dawn: We have to be outside of Washington. [Expansion.]

Mary: We’re not funded by Allen Shoup. We’re making it on our own right now, but we need to jump off the cliff and… we’re at the tipping point.

Dawn: Really, we like putting the whole idea together. And things have just fallen into place. Happenstance. Space. Labels. It’s all fallen into place.

I ask the women what they think of Walla Walla, what kind of reception they’ve had and what kind of support they’ve felt from the community. They remind me that Walla Walla is notorious for stingy old money. They have more out of town customers.

Dawn: But there’s a core of ladies that love us.

Mary: It’s the new crowd, the transplants.

The transplants. Is that what they’re called here now? Still, Walla Walla has its old charms.

Mary: But here’s this small town with a great symphony hall. I love being able to ride my bike, walking down the street and knowing people. It feels like my community.

Dawn: We feel loved and supported. The community has been supportive. From winemakers, friends, we love what you’re doing how can we help, even the girl from the cancer center… But location is so key!

Mary: And where else is there a women owned company? Ashley Trout [of Flying Trout Wines]. Can’t forget about her.

Dawn: She’s also pretty visionary, trying to do some neat stuff.

Mary: Lynn Anderson came on board with legal, bonding.

Dawn: Daymon [Bruck] offered his help. We all met through the loan center… [where Dawn's husband, Jack Kammer, works]

Daymon designed their labels, an essential part of DaMa’s creative process as they have already explained.

So in this community of people showing interest and wanting to be involved, how do you think you made it all happen?

Dawn: Not being afraid to take a little bit of a risk, or not knowing better. Not everything has been roses.

Finally I ask them about Success. They both agree that although they would love “a bizillion dollars in the bank and to be on Oprah,” they are successful. What they’ve created already makes them happy. In the moment, in that present happiness, is success. Mary looks around the back garden, squinting in the sun, talking about how she loves her work, she has a wonderful son, Simon, who plays just behind us, she feels she’s giving back. This project is their gift to the world. What else is there but right now? And Dawn and I couldn’t agree more.

In the present, I enjoy knowing these remarkable women, and I am enjoying the experience of DaMa Wines. I think they can help everyone learn a little about success.

DaMa Wines is on the rise. Experience the joy.

Amber Lane and Annette Bergevin have created quite the sensation here in lil’ old Walla Walla. And that sensation has a name: Bergevin Lane Vineyards. High scoring wines, a great facility to accommodate increasing production, and “a good time!”

You can tell a lot about a place by the tasting room. I don’t mean the architecture or design. I mean the energy of the place. Is it upbeat or mellow? Austere or campy? Or is it boring? What? I don’t think boring and Bergevin Lane should ever be in the same paragraph, let alone sentence again. Nothing boring here. Especially not with this group.
It used to be the girls… Amber, Annette, and Virginie Bourgue, a Frenchwoman who was given a job as winemaker at this new Walla Walla winery. Replacing Virginie when she moved on to Cadaretta is the charming Steffan Jorgensen. Originally from Denmark, Steffan has a variety of experience in the wine industry from various points on the globe including Chile, France, and California. But what I like most about Steffan, besides his adorable grin, is his consistently good wine!

I asked Amber and Annette what their production goals were, looking beyond today. They said emphatically that the focus was on quality. They are willing to grow with demand, but plan on continuing their growth “moderately.” Bergevin Lane is already in 19 states, which requires a lot of travel and maintenance.

I’ve heard that Gary Bergevin (Annette’s dad) asked you to join him here to do this winery. How did all this happen?

Both: We asked him!

Apparently in January of 2002 they decided they wanted to do this winery project, made a move, and within a few short months it was the real deal. They instantly signed up for a marketing contact and Elizabeth Slater helped them with the business and marketing plan. Boom. It happened.

Several years in now, they’re doing very well! Awards, high scores, articles and interviews, and a few changes too. For example…

There is a new label coming out on the 2007 Calico White. They showed a preview.

I asked about label choices and they said it’s important that there be a label they can connect to. They know it takes about three years for marketing change to happen, and they’re willing to work with that to have a product they feel connected to on all levels. (Sounds a lot like integrity to me.) They wanted something a fun and modern.

Did you know they held a naming contest for the wine? They loved the wining entry for several reasons: Calico cats are female; the winery is female run. A Calico cat is three colors and the Calico wines are blends. And here’s my favorite bit. Look at the cat on the label. Do you see the female silhouette?

There are plenty of articles where you can read all about the history of the winery, what they’ve produced, how much, and the like. But what really fascinates me about Bergevin Lane is the people who created it. These partners are driven, bright, generous, and intent on success (which I think they’ve already found).

And here’s the thing, I can’t help but really really like them. Not just because they do cool stuff like bring Raining Jane to town to do a concert at T Maccarone’s, but because they’re genuinely interesting folks. All of them. Amber, Annette, Steffan, and Julie in the tasting room.

If you had to break down the experience of someone’s visit to your winery to one word, what is it that you want people to take away (besides wine, of course).

Amber: Quality and happiness. “Value” seems like Thriftway, so I won’t say that. One word? I’ll say happiness.
Annette: A great experience. I want people to have a great experience.

(Julie pokes her head in the room and they ask her.)

Julie: Fun!

Annette: I change my vote. I’m with Julie. Fun.

And they all smile.

What wine are you personally excited about right now in this area?

Annette: Syrahs! Washington Syrahs. They can be fruity and spicy or earthy and gamey. They’re versatile and you don’t know what you’re going to get. And I love viogniers.

What’s your favorite thing about what your gig, having a winery in Walla Walla?

Amber: The people!
Annette: Cool people, and great opportunities.
Amber: And the wine is the connection.

Wine, they say, is a human connection. It evolves. It lives. And here, it has a good live it seems. You can feel it the moment you walk through the front door. Just wait until you taste the wine! (My favorite is the Princess Syrah.)