@SmithStoryWines

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn from Eric Story and Allison Smith-Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWinesory fr #Sonoma #CA family-owned #winery!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We’d like to introduce you to family-owned #winery fr #Sonoma #CA Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines to say hello & so she knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: As we ask @SmithStoryWines our Qs, you can ask Eric Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines your Qs as well! They’ll do their best to answer all Questions in the order they come #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: With so many participants lots of great Question's are asked! Even if you dont ask one--give a S/O 2 @keepercoll & @SmithStoryWines to let us know you are here! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Let's start talking #wine with Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines #WineWednesday

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: Were excited to be here! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @Smithstorywines When did you decide to open the #winery together? What has been the most rewarding part? #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: about the time the word spread that we were getting married! many of our wine industry peers encouraged us to start our own winery after many years of helping others... about 6 years ago now. The most rewarding part is the level of quality of our wines, we worked hard to create a seasonal portfolio offering that reflects our old-world wine loves. we nailed it. it's incredibly fulfilling! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: What are UR major #US Markets and is your focus more on retail or #restaurants - is that focus changing? #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: we began with a stealth DTC following that has allowed us to also find success in the wholesale markets in CA, TX, CO, the Mid Atlantic so far. We're heavy on-premise and of course need retailers to support at least during the hot months of the year #sommchat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: we're opening a handful of new markets this year large in part to customers demand and support, it's been unreal how wonderful our fans have been for us... it's certainly a fun time with @AndyBartee onboard now to lead this for us! #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Your wines are based in #Sonoma #California, why did you choose this location?

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: we chose #sonomacounty in the #russianrivervalley largely in part to its access to so many AVAs and micro-climates, we crush @GrandCruCrush which is state of the art and work with 15 family vineyards throughout Sonoma County and the Anderson Valley #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Do you make your wines to drink upon release or to age @smithstorywine #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: we do! it's important to us to make sure our wines are daily drinkers, we're not into making "trophy wines" that are only opened on special occasions. however, how wines will age well we suspect due to the balance and etc. just last night we opened a 2014 #Sémillon #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @keepercoll #SommChat What gave you the idea and when in the process of developing the winery did you decide to include Lord Sandwhich in the marketing. Genius idea!

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: inspired by so many friends in the business really. it was a next step for both of us, our careers led us down this path. #sommchat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: and Lord Sandwich, well... his fans made it happen. we had no intention or idea how fun it would be to have him so intertwined in #smithstorywines he is our lucky card for sure... it's amazing to meet folks from all over the world who come to

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome back to #SommChat @CharlesComm hope you are having a great #WineWednesday

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @smithstorywines Congrats on getting @AndyBartee as your National Sales Manager? What are his primary goals in this position? #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: @AndyBartee is such a great storyteller and really understands #smithstorywines...he's an extension of us and will be leading new markets and also heavily working with our wine club members and mailing list folks for private tastings, dinners and trips to visit us #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Out of the many International #wine regions you have traveled to what were your favorite places? #SommChat @keepercoll

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: Hard Question!! Of course, #Loire, #Germany and #Austria rank the highest for us...however, we haven't visited #Spain or #Burgundy together as Smith Story and would love to add these to our travel list! #sommchat #smithEric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWinesorywines

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @smithstorywines You have continued to sell out of your #wine since 2014, how exciting! To what can you contribute this success? #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: our ground swell of supporters first and foremost. we're making the best wine we can literally afford to make... it starts in the vineyards for us and the quality shines through for sure. hasn't hurt that we love the wines we're making, it shows, right!? #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @smithstorywines What do you look for in #vineyards when choosing where to grow your #wine?

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: First of all, our stainability mission begins with the vineyard being family owned. this is so important to us for many reasons, it keep the supply chain focused on paying families and farmers first and also allows us to manage the vineyard alongside with them. It's also important the vineyards are #earthfriendly and of course micro-climates, soil, rocks... everything that is important to growing the best grapes with little human intervention is considered. it starts with the dirt! #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: .Tell us about Lord Sandwich @Socks4Sandwich #wine. How did you choose which grape to make this #wine? #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: #lordsandwichredtablewine begin to support @socks4sandich, a non-profit Ali started right after our first harvest in 2014. People asked for a "Sandwich Wine" and we then asked our friends who had older and bigger wineries for help... #sommchat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: #lordsandwichredtablewine is the only #wine that we don't grow and make vineyard to bottle. the @meekerwine family has helped us with our first 2 releases, it's a barrel blend that we handpick from their cellar. each release is different #sommchat ...

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: now we also have the #lordsandwichblanc which is a blend of our #russianrivervalley #sauvignonBlanc our #duttonranch #chardonnay & some #verdelho from the Contra Costa AVA. It might be our favorite white wine yet! proceeds got to @Socks4Sandwich of course #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @smithstorywines Can you tell us about Eric Story Selections? #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: it all began the summer of 2014 while in Austria then traveling in Germany together. We were in deep conversation with dear winemakers encouraging us to import wines too. Eric had worked two vintages in the Rheingau so this is why we started with German wines #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: #Somm which of your #wines do you think are best for a BTG program and why @Smithstorywines ?

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: #SonomaCounty #sauvignonblanc is a mind-blower. we made this wine with on-premise in mind. it's heavily influenced by our love of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé...it should impress guests who don't normally order a California Sauvignon Blanc... #sommchat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: however, our #lordsandwichredtablewine has incredible success as a BTG, servers love telling the story, it lights up the whole table with smiles. having @Socks4Sandwich benefit just makes this wine more special... and it's great with casual or fine-dining foods #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @smithstorywines What is your price range on your #wines? Are your plans to stay in that price range? #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: we spent a lot of time on pricing our wines before we signed a single grape contract. it's important that all our supply chain partners find business sense with #smithstorywines $20-80, the lower priced wines are larger volume than the higher which are single vineyards #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @smithstorywines What has been some of the best advice you have gotten starting #SmithStoryWineCellars? #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: great question! Jason and Molly Drew are our neighbors in the #AndersonValley where our tasting room is... Molly told us to make decisions based on freeing up our time to spend together, our time off as a couple is currency. #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q @smithstorywines What are the benefits of having a tasting room located in #AndersonValley? #SommChat @keepercoll

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: Our story begin in the #andersonvalley while Eric planted #nashmillvineyards with former @klwines buddies. Our location is inside @themadrones which is a little bit of Europe too. The valley is so special, filled with farms and vineyards and folks who visit to learn about wine, collect wine and enjoy the slower pace that's harder to find in California wine country these days. The #ca128west is 45 minutes of curvy and spectacular views...a bit challenging for party-buses, so we don't get them in the AV! #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm I am in #resto side and if I want to find where to get your @smithstorywines do I contact @AndyBartee or how?

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: you can reach us direct via info at smithstorywines dot com or @AndyBartee anytime! thank you! #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm I am in #resto side and if I want to find where to get your @smithstorywines do I contact @AndyBartee or how?

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: right now we have bottled everything we've grown & produced since 2014. after the 2016 harvest, we cut our #chardonnay offerings to open the budget up for more #cabernetfranc. about 15 different wines are available this month... #sommchat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: our growth is #sonomacounty #sauvignonblanc & #cabfranc and we are excited about #ericstoryselections expanding w/ offerings from #loire #austria too. our #lordsandwichredtablewine by far is the largest by volume too, people have gone ga-ga over this seriously fun wine @SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm do you sell any of your #wines outside of the #US? If so which ones? If not, is that in the future plans?

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: we hope to open the UK market this year, we have an amazing amount of demand from our @Socks4Sandwich followers. we also know that our style is what the UK market is super into these days. Canada is also wanting us, however, it's a bit tough to get that party started #sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #wine talk with @smithstorywines #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: It was great to have Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story fr #Sonoma #CA family-owned #winery @SmithStoryWines join us today for #SommChat. We hope everyone learned as much as we did! #WineWednesday

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Please join us in thanking Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines fr #Sonoma #CA family-owned #winery for her time #SommChat

Eric Story and Allison Smith-Story @SmithStoryWines: oh that went so fast! thank you for having us! Everyone can follow our daily shenanigans on IG under @smithstorywines too. We are so proud of all the support and crazy amount of press we've received... click around on our website to learn more. CHEERS! #sommchat #smithstorywines