Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurie Wagner.
Hi Laurie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
The 2007 California wildfire season saw at least 9,093 separate wildfires that charred 1,520,362 acres of land. Thirty of those wildfires were part of the Fall 2007 California firestorm, which burned approximately 972,147 acres of land from Santa Barbara County to the U.S.–Mexico border. This firestorm tore through our property only six months after we had gotten final approval to move into our newly constructed dream home. The grapes in our test vineyard had been destroyed, and we decide to replant over 1700 grapes vines with 5 different wine grape varieties over the next four years. In 2010 we started Turtle Rock Ridge Winery and began working with our mentor Lum Eisenman studying the craft of winemaking. In 2012 we opened our doors for wine tasting and have been focused on our journey to provide quality wine, Sangria, and an amazing experience for our customers every day.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course, dealing with the regulations and restrictions during C-19 was very challenging. Closing our doors to the public on multiple occasions was very stressful. Even today, we continued to shift and change with the post-Covid small business market.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
We love to create beautiful landscapes and wine-tasting settings to enhance our customer’s experience. I have a degree in Landscaping and Nursery, and my life partner Ian and I met in the plant industry 40 years ago. We both enjoy working with plants and love growing grapes.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I love working together with Ian; each of us brings their own talents to our company. Sometimes being a family business can be stressful, but it is also more rewarding to build a business together. We also have an amazing staff that is very supportive and are very instrumental in making our business run smoothly.
Pricing:
- Wine Tasting $20
- Bottles $30-$60
- Tours $20
- 20% off wine club membership
Contact Info:
- Website: www.turtlerockridge.com
- Instagram: turtlerockridge
- Facebook: turtlerockridgevineyardwinery
- Yelp: Turtle Rock Ridge Vineyard Winery
Image Credits
Laurie Wagner
