Conversations with Mia Redmond

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Redmond.

Mia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 
Building a winery is not something you do alone, so here is the story starting from the beginning. I met my husband, John, in 2007 while we were both studying at UC San Diego. As our lives verged together, John pursued a career in Computer Engineering while I followed passions first in the business side of Theatre and then a teaching career in Elementary Education with a specialty in science. With broad interests and a constant desire to learn, we believe in hard work and a strive for excellence. 

After marrying in 2010, we purchased our first home together in a section of South Escondido called Highland Valley. Both myself and my husband were raised in country settings, and when we purchased our home and land, we envisioned raising a family. Over the next few years, we welcomed two beautiful children, and each morning, John would take a long run throughout the area. When he first spotted the 105-acre property that would become Mia Marie, about a mile from our home, a dream began to ideate – one day, we would purchase the property, plant grapes, and build an estate winery. 

In 2016, that vision of a “winery” became a reality. After several years of planting, learning, constructing, and designing, we officially debuted Mia Marie Vineyards, a family-owned, community-focused estate winery featuring top-quality premium craft wine in the Highland Valley wine region of San Diego. With an eye for beauty and a relaxing setting, Mia Marie Vineyards features a setting to create lasting memories with loved ones. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting an estate winery from the ground up proves rewarding and challenging. I always approach our business knowing there are three very distinct sections to it: the vineyard, the winery, and the tasting room. Starting with the vineyard – farming is hard. Grapes are sensitive plants that require a high level of attention and devotion to thrive. Next, wine production combines a whole lot of science along with a little bit of magic. Timing and cleanliness are paramount. The tasting room brings the full vine-to-glass experience together. Experience being the key word. We experience wine – we evaluate with our eyes, our nose, and our mouth. The surroundings, like a stunning view and a detail-oriented atmosphere, all contribute to the experience of what’s in our glass. Uniting all of these distinct yet related sections of our business, along with keeping on top of finances and government regulations, and managing a staff of talented and smart individuals, fuels each of my days. Is there struggle? Yes. Do I feel rewarded for that struggle on a daily basis? Most definitely. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Owning an estate winery combines all the facets of my upbringing and education. Studying Theatre at UC San Diego and later working in Marketing at La Jolla Playhouse, I embraced my creative side while still sharpening my business skills. As an estate winery owner, I play many different roles. The design and overall look of our buildings, landscaping, and indoor spaces come from my vision. My goal is for my tasting pavilion to feel like the backyard you always wanted while experiencing exceptional wine and service. I scrutinize every detail in my tasting room, right down to my bathrooms. A beautiful bathroom matters. I want to embrace my feminine side while also creating a welcoming space. Women are often overlooked in branding style and targeted marketing. But who buys wine? Women. I want my brand to always gear towards what our guests want. My winemaker, Kiara Boccia-Fenlason, makes highly nuanced wines. We’ve become known for our elegant whites, refreshing rosés, and fruit-forward reds. Kiara’s wines won the 2023 Best Wine in San Diego at both Toast of the Coast (2020 Mia Tesoro) and the Lum Eisman awards (2022 Dry Muscat). In January 2024, we took home a Double Gold for our 2021 Malbec from the San Francisco Chronicle. This was an exceptional year for us, and we will continue to work hard to remain at an exceptional level. 

As a small business owner, daily problems arise, and it’s on me to fix them. Problem solving and flexing prove to be one of my biggest challenges. I make mistakes, and often. A mistake only proves a problem if you do not learn from it. Growth and a willingness to change when needed prove key to running a successful business. Keeping a finger on the pulse as to the happenings in all the areas of my business proves key to running a successful operation. Hiring individuals smarter than me in their area of expertise brings our business to a higher level, and cheering on those exceptional individuals as they experience success creates my greatest source of pride. 

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love San Diego. I love the people, the weather, the endless array of activities, and the diversity. I love that my children get to experience both a big city and a small town at the same time. Our traffic and lack of efficient public transport are San Diego’s one weakness. 

Pricing:

• 2023 Sauvignon Blanc – $38
• 2023 Tempranillo Rosé – $31
• 2023 Rosato di Primitivo – $28
• 2021 Syrah – $60
• 2021 Malbec – $65

Contact Info:

• Website: https://miamarie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miamarievineyards/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miamarievineyards/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mia-marie-vineyards-escondido

Image Credits
Andrew Henkemeyer
Kinda Arzon
Kristen Szepe