I’ve been in the wine industry for almost 13 years now, and I don’t plan on hanging up my corkscrew anytime soon. My journey kicked off as wine club manager at Lone Madrone, where the winemaker, an unapologetic Bristolian genius, embraces native yeast like a long-lost friend and isn’t afraid of a little fun funk showing up to the party. From there, I briefly moved to Halter Ranch, another well-known winery here is Paso Robles, curating everything from weddings to winemaker dinners under the iconic covered bridge. As thrilling as the event world was, six-day workweeks and 14-hour days weren’t exactly compatible with the whole “start a family and stay conscious” life plan. So, I traded in clipboard chaos for a Monday-through-Friday role at Turley Wine Cellars. I spent a little over four years in my cozy mailing-list cubicle, loving every second, right along with every other person who works for Larry Turley and Rich Richardson. And since no one above me was giving up their seat… ever… I made the tough call to leave in search of growth, a bigger title, and slightly less fluorescent lighting.
Which ultimately brought me to Sixmilebridge.
One of my favorite stories to tell is how I landed the job at this particular winery. My interviewer, Rosemary Behrens, casually mentioned she requires “a little bit of homework” to make sure she’s hiring someone with more than half a brain. SIX PAGES later—little bit of homework, my arse—here I am: managing the tasting room, running onsite events, and slingin’ wine.
Most people assume working in a tasting room is the easiest job on earth. Well… they clearly haven’t met or worked for Jim Moroney. Snort-laugh. Kidding! He’s pretty alright, and occasionally even pays me a compliment. Truthfully, the banter I have with Jim ranks in my top three favorite things about this job. We’re constantly testing how high we can crank our sass meters before one of us taps out. Usually it’s him taking the L, but I let him win once in a while because I mean…I do have bills to pay.
What really keeps me here, though, is the people. The ones I work alongside and the guests who walk through our tasting room door with stories, curiosity, and the wildly convincing belief that this is the day they become a sommelier. You absolutely have to like people to do this job. Yes, pouring wine is easy—but showing up fully, leaving home life at the door, and engaging with new humans every single day is a different sport. By Saturday (which is my Friday), my brain is running on dial-up, and I’m almost guaranteed to slam-dunk at least one glass on the floor. Don’t worry, I always shout “OPA!” so everyone thinks it’s intentional and festive, instead of the highlight reel of my exhaustion.
Being a SLO County native, I’ve watched this area really grow—wineries, restaurants, bars, you name it. What used to be a sleepy stretch has officially hit its glow-up era. As a mom, I don’t get out much, but when the stars align and I clock out with a little fuel left in the tank, you’ll find me sipping a perfectly made dirty Grey Goose martini at In Bloom or The Pony Club in Paso. However, more often than not when I’ve got that itch to go out, I’m racing home to Grover Beach and convincing my wonderful significant other to take me to one of our favorites, Mason Bar and Kitchen in AG, which I’m pretty sure is where he took me on our first date.
Back in my glory days, when I didn’t need to rush anywhere, I could be found having a cocktail (or two) at Della’s and, if I was feeling rambunctious, sticking around long enough to end up at Pine Street Saloon—the undisputed heavyweight champ of people-watching.
As for wine, I get asked constantly where my favorite place to drink is, and my answer is always the same: “Well, it depends, on the mood, the vibe, the time of year…” But as I write this, I’ve realized my favorite place to enjoy a bottle of wine might just be home. Some of the bottles I reach for most often while I’m making dinner or sinking into the couch are L’Aventure’s Estate Cuvée or Inspiracion, Benom’s Le Vingt or Contrast, and anything in the bold, inky red category from Emercy. And of course, Sixmilebridge is a staple in my cellar—how could it not be? My favorite of the core four is hands-down the Shannon, but when it comes to the small-batch beauties, I’ll always try to get my hands on the single-varietal Malbec or Petit Verdot that Anthony and Lindsay so beautifully craft.
At the end of the day, wine is why I show up, but the people are why I stay. I get to share stories, pour something meaningful, laugh way more than is probably professional, and be part of a community that keeps growing in all the right ways. If you ever find yourself at Sixmilebridge, come say hi. I’ll be the one pretending not to trip over a case of wine, pouring something delicious, and shouting “OPA!” only slightly on purpose.
Cheers, see you at the tasting room!