Mike Sinor

THERE IS SOMETHING POETIC ABOUT THE SOUND OF A SKATEBOARD
CUTTING THROUGH THE SILENT AND CHILLY MORNING AIR IN THE EDNA VALLEY. POETIC - BUT NOT STUFFY THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS  LOTS OF FUN.

THAT A WELL REGARDED WINEMAKER IS STANDING ON THE DECK WNJOYING THE MOMENT MAKES IT ALL THE BETTER. I’T SNOT EXACTLY YOUR FATHERS WINE COUNTRY AND THAT’S A QUALITY THAT CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL COAST HAS IN ABUNDANCE. MIKE SINOR UNDERSTANDS BALANCE ON THE BOARD…IN LIFE AND AT WORK.

MIKE: " WINE WAS NOT PART OF MY YOUTH GROWING UP IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA. I GREW UP IN CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT. I GREW UP IN..MY DAD OWNED A JUNKYARD AND I WORKED IN A JUNKYARD AND I GREW UP WITH NO APPRECIATION FOR FOOD AND WINE. WHAT DID DRAW ME TO WINE WAS MY WORK ETHIC. I WAS TAUGHT EARLY ON TO WORK HARD.AND TO THROW YOURSELF INTO WHAT YOU DO. I REALLY WANTED TO GO TO SCHOOL. I WANTED TO GO TO COLLEGE.NO ONE IN MY FAMILY AT THAT TIME HAD GONE TO COLLEGE. AND I REALLY WANTED TO GO TO CAL POLY. VISALIA BOY WE LOVE THE BEACH.  I’M DRAWN PERSONALLY TO THE BEACH.I REALLY WANTED TO BE HERE.PART OF THAT YOUTH GROWING UP, I HAD TO WORK. I HAD TO PAY MY WAY THROUGH COLLEGE THAT IS HOW IT HAPPENED. SO MY FIRST JOB WAS A LOCAL WINERY – CORBETT CANYON VINEYARDS AND WINERY WHEN I WAS 21 YEARS OLD. I TOOK THE JOB BECAUSE THEY PAID A LITTLE MORE BECAUSE IT WAS FURTHER AWAY FROM CAL POLY. THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON THAT I TOOK THE JOB BECAUSE I NEEDED THE MONEY. IN BUSINESS IT WAS JUST A JOB BUT I LEARNED VERY QUICKLY. I SELF DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS WHO I AM. NOT ONLY WINE BUT THIS REGION THE CENTRAL COAST IS WHAT I LOVE."

LYNN: "WHERE DID YOU MEET CHERI?"

MIKE: "WE HAD CHEMISTRY. (laughs) CAL POLY WE HAD CHEMISTRY 121 TOGETHER AND WE MET IN SCHOOL THERE. WE HAD CLASS THERE AND THAT IS HOW WE MET. IT’S ABOUT FAMILY. THAT IS WHY I DO WHAT I DO IS FAMILY. AND SO WE ENJOY WINE WITH OUR LIFESTYLE AND OUR FAMILY. BUT I DON’T GO HOME. ID ON’T GO HOME AND TALK ABOUT MALOLACTIC IS NOT COMPLETE (LAUGHS) OR SALES BEING CRUDDY OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. WE JUST ENJOY WINE. AND THAT’S REALLY HOW WE OUR EXPERIENCE WITH WINE IS ENJOYING WINE AND HEALTHYWITH WINE. OBVIOUSLY FRENCH FOOD I’M IMPASSIONED BY BECAUSE I LOVE THE RICH SAUCES. I LOVE THE FOCUS ON TERROIR EVEN IN THEIR FOODS – IN THE CHEESES AND THE BEEFS. I LOVE THAT. I LOVE SUSHI. I LOVE ANYTHING THAT’S MADE WITH CARE. BARBEQUING. YOU KNOW, I MEAN HERE ON THE CENTRAL COAST WE DO A LOT OF BARBEQUE. SO CERTAINLY LOVE TO BARBEQUE. I DO THIS ASPARAGUS PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS WITH A BALSAMIC REDUCTION SAUCE THAT  I JUST KEEP COMING BACK TO AND BRINGING TO EVENTS AND STUFF AND PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY. FOR ME ONE OF THE PROUDEST THINGS THAT I CAN SAY IS THAT I  THAT I’M PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.THIS COMMUNITY HELPED RAISE ME. GOING AS I SAID I WORKED AT CORBETT CANYON. WHEN I WAS GOING TO CAL POLY, I WORKED AT SAUCELITO CANYON, CLAIBORNE AND CHURCHILL AND CHAMISAL,WINDMERE AND PIEDRA CREEK THESE ARE ALL PERSONAL FRIENDS OF MY MINE THAT WHEN I WAS IN  CAL POLY I WOULD JUST HELP THEM RACK WINES. HELP THEM MOVE CASES. AND SO THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO ME ARE THE HIGHEST EXCITEMENT THAT I HAVE FOR THE WINE BUSINESS. IT’S ABOUT A COMMUNITY, A REGION IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE AND SO YOU KNOW   I COULD GET ON THE PHONE RIGHT NOW AND GET ALL THE HELP I NEED. IT’S TRULY ,TRULY A JOY.

LYNN: "WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF TEN YEARS FROM NOW?"

MIKE: PRETTY MUCH HERE. YOU KNOW OUR VISION OF LIFE IS LIVING EVERY DAY THE BEST WE CAN. YOU KNOW I DON’T HAVE ASPIRATIONS OF GROWING A WINE COMPANY. GROWING YOU KNOW AN EMPIRE. WHAT I HAVE VISIONS OF IS CONTINUING TO GROW MY WINE COMPANY. I WOULD OBVIOUSLY LOVE TO OWN A RANCH HERE IN THE EDNA VALLEY OR ARROYO GRANDE AT SOME POINT. AND GROW GRAPES THAT I OWN. THOSE ARE GOALS THAT WE HAVE BUT FOR US IT’S ABOUT NOT LETTING EACH DAY GO BY AND LIVING TODAY. I MAKE WINE FOR A LIVING. I LIVE HERE AT THE BEACH SO THAT’S THE KEY.

LYNN: "MIKE SINOR AND HIS WIFE CHERI LAVALLEE PRODUCE JUST 400 CASES OF HANDCRAFTED WINE. YOU CAN BUY IT ONLINE AT THEIR WEBSITE OR AT 15 DEGREES C IN TEMPLETON."