“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” - Larry Corleone
Michael, I apologize for my douchey comments. While I don’t like to see the entire capsule removed at restaurant tables or tasting rooms, there are many situations where it’s perfectly fine. No hard feelings, I hope.
It’s all good. Thanks for reaching back.
I didn’t know that the tasting rooms were opened again.
Kind of hard to keep up these days.
But have fun with the new gig!
I’ve seen Eric Baugher just rip the capsule off 9 liters when he opens them 
JK, pretty sure those bottles don’t have capsules
Actually, looking back at some pictures from Ridge events, those big bottles do have capsules, and they do cut them around the top
As I contemplate what to do in the next phase of my life, I really think I might enjoy doing something in the wine business. The more I read about retirement the more I see, “if you’re not doing it now, you’re not going to do it then.” So I’ve got five or so years to figure out what I’d like to do. My location (northern Illinois) seems to be a disadvantage. There is a nearby winery with a tasting room but I really don’t like their wines. There are local wine shops but not sure I want to get into retail. I’d be interested to hear other stories of people who have “retired into the business”. Did you find it fun/rewarding or was it not fun/a grind?
Although I’m a ways away from retirement…and currently geography would be prohibitive, I’d love to be a ski resort ambassador. Skiing around, offering directions and help. Sounds dreamy to me. Get a free pass and maybe a few bucks too.
Now speaking from experience (although Ridge is closed during lockdown), I don’t want to work more than a couple of days a week and not consecutive days once I retire (5 months to go!). It’s fun, but there’s physical labor involved, too. My main intention is to NOT have it feel like work.
I worked wine retail one day a week in SF and then Boston for years, mostly for the employee discount at first but I quickly realized I really enjoyed it. As John mentioned upthread about his camera shop days, though, I spent more than I earned. Some of the closeout deals that came through around 2009 - 2011, post 2008 economic crash, were crazy.
Congrats Larry!
Someone above said “fairly prestigious”. I take no offense but in my book there is nothing more prestigious.
Many years ago Ridge has just one person in charge of the tasting room and location retail and I believe and her name was Darla or something like that. Old Geezer Hill would know. She left a good twenty years ago, shortly before I single-handedly put an end to DiTV by spoofing it on the old WCWN Board where my attempt at farce creativity ended in a total shite-show of epic proportions and Brad Harrington deleted my post and the thread. No, he double and triple deleted it but I again digress.
So to get to the proverbial five dollar bill found at the end of my story (does it have a point?), I am left wondering-to what extent do tasting room sales account for net profit on an industry wide basis for better known wineries?