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Kirk and Denise from WesMar

I never buy a case of wine when I go wine tasting.  I’ll buy maybe 6 bottles, but never a case.  I just don’t make that kind of coin.  However, a couple weeks ago, I simply had to do it.

My family and I followed some friends of ours up to Russian River.  Our first stop was WesMar.  I’ve never been to WesMar, but I had some of their amazing Pinot before.  So, this was going to be a treat.  We’ve been up to the Russian River before visiting different wineries, but we never made over to WesMar.  As we drove up, my friend took a left-hand turn into an industrial park.  I was a little curious about this, expecting something more typical of a winery.  I thought maybe my friend was making a pit-stop to run some errand (“what the hell is he doing, I want to taste some wine!”, I thought to myself).

Building 6

As we parked next to a creamery, we all got out of our cars and I asked, “Is this the winery?”  “Yes” was the answer…umm OK.  My wife and I looked at each other a little confused.  So, we got our things and walked over to this warehouse.  And there it was, WesMar’s winery.  Filled with people and a very large dog (Zoey) that was as sweet as can be.

We sampled some of the current releases, mingled with some of the guests and then we had a chance to talk to Kirk and Denise, the husband and wife team that run the whole operation.  What an amazing couple of people.  Very kind and genuine.  They made time to talk to us about various topics and not just wine.  It was such a refreshing feeling.  It felt like home in this beautifully industrial setting.  There was such a good vibe there.

I took a look at the prices and I felt compelled to buy my first case of wine at a wine tasting event.  The combination of the kindness and generosity of Kirk and Denise along with the price of the wine (their Pinots rival any in the Russian River and the price point is affordable; the most expensive bottle is $40).  So, for me it was a no-brainer.  However, I had to ask the boss, my wife.  She gave me the green light and it was done.

What we were tasting...notice their dog, Zoey, in the background?

Since that trip, I’ve told this story to several friends and colleagues.  Every time I tell the story, I end it with, “I really wanted to support what they are doing.  They’ve got a good thing going.”

So, cheers to Kirk and Denise.  Keep making great wine and keep making your events special.