MEET THE SMITH STORY WINE CELLARS TEAM
Alison Smith Story
Co-Founder, Chief Storyteller, Swiftie, Dog Mom and Recovered Southern Baptist.
As the force behind Smith Story Wine Cellars, Alison Smith Story puts a heap of stock in the power of community.
After a decade of running her Austin, Texas based boutique sales and marketing firm for wineries and importers she was convinced there was room for a new winery doing things old school by frankly telling their true story and making incredibly delicious wine.
Kickstarted with husband Eric in 2014, Smith Story is the first winery to be fully crowdfunded. “I’m still humbled that so many people believed in us well before we made a single drop of wine,” she says. It seems to have paid off for all involved: the venture has rocketed to success with a strong fan base.
Smith Story Wine Cellars has been named “Where the Cool Kids Go” by Sonoma Magazine and featured by Wine Business Monthly as "The All American Wine Story". The network of comrades and “found family” these efforts have woven has been a strong one indeed. For her work, Alison has been named one of Sonoma Magazine‘s “5 Inspiring Wine Women” and in 2022 "Wines Most Inspiring People" by Wine Business Network.
Ali has spoken as a leader of women in wine... at the SVB State of the Industry, Fortune Magazine Most Powerful Women’s Conference, Unified Wine Symposium “Outsourcing Success”, WIN DTC Social Media Panel, and the Wonder Women of Wine in Austin, Texas are just a few of Ali's public speaking engagements. You may often catch Ali sipping on single origin speciality coffee, meeting up with fellow goldendoodle owners, day dreaming of gardening on a sunny day when she’s not behind her computer, tasting room(s) or zipping around wine country in the AliTaxi.
Ali is also deeply passionate about giving back through initiatives like Domaine De Brave Custom Wellness and Celebration Gift Boxes, her carbonic wine “BRAVE” created while battling breast cancer to honor other warriors to “Socks for Sandwich”, a charity organization born from their winery’s beloved mascot, Sandwich the Doodle. Alison brings a wealth of insight into consumer trends, innovation, and the realities of building a modern wine business from the ground up.
Current Likes: Helping other women and families experiencing breast cancer, being the voice of Sandwich the Doodle, a good night's sleep, gardening, creative writing and anytime Mr. Story cooks dinner!
Current Dislikes: airports, rental car lines, snotty wine people, the hours of 4am-8am.
Current Favorite Quote: "The Biggest risk in life is NOT risking" Sara Blakley, Founder of Spanx.
Eric Story
Co-Founder, Winemaker & General Manager
The rock of Smith Story Wine Cellars from the very start. A Redwood City, California native, Eric joined K&L Wine Merchants in 2000 and continued as a wine buyer for K&L Wine Merchants until December of 2016 while working on his days off and nights for Smith Story.
After joining colleagues in the early 2000s to plant the now "Nash Mill Vineyard" in the deep-end of the Anderson Valley he realized he needed to learn more about winemaking. This ah-ha moment led him to harvest positions with a dear winemaker friend in Germany. The same winery who helps us produce our German riesling and rosé that we imported under Eric Story Selections.
Eric's attention to detail both in the cellar and of the vines has paid off with top-scoring wines with each vintage. Eric's in-depth and expert wine knowledge of the Loire Valley, Germany, Austria, Alsace, Greece and The Republic of Georgia lend a strong influence in his winemaking style. "California is a geological wonderland in terms of terroir, climates and altitudes, I believe we are working in the right places where we are farming sustainably, picking correctly and handling the grapes with TLC, I just let the wine make itself".
Eric divides his time between the custom-crush winery in Santa Rosa, California and managing vineyard blocks throughout Anderson Valley & Sonoma County. At Smith Story, he oversees winemaking, operations, and logistics (bonus to catch him hosting in the tasting room too!). When taking time off, you can catch Eric watching the SF Giants and Golden State Warriors, plotting his next home cooked meal and spending time as "The Fun Parent" with Lord Sandwich and Sir Royal Soup.
Current Likes: a new pair of work boots, a happy Ali & "new tires for my truck".
Current Dislikes: a messy kitchen, overly-made wines and folding laundry.
Current Favorite Quote: "Carbs are the enemy", Goldmember.
Katy Wilson
Consulting Winemaker
Katy joined the Smith Story Wine Cellars team in 2014 providing wicked keen leadership both in the cellar and the vineyards. From growing up on a small walnut orchard to becoming a well renowned winemaker Katy is the epitome of Smith Story's entrepreneurial spirit. From the beginning, Katy's upbringing molded her for a career in wine. She learned how to drive a tractor on her family's walnut orchard well before learning how to drive a car!
Katy realized that her calling was a career in wine after her professor mentioned winemaking as a career path during an Agriculture Business 101 class while attending Cal Poly. Discovering an industry that combined agriculture, chemistry, and creativity highly appealed to her. She then graduated from Cal Poly in 2005, double majoring in Wine & Viticulture and in Agricultural Business. After many years working for Craggy Range in New Zealand and California's Flowers, Testarossa, Phelps, Kamen, at age 26 she made her dream a reality by releasing Pinot Noir under her own label, LaRue Wines. She created her business plan, knowing she wanted to create a small winery that made only 500 cases for each vintage.
In 2014, she decided that it was time to leave her job at Kamen and focus solely on LaRue and consulting. It was also the same year that she joined Smith Story Wine Cellars as a consulting winemaker. She continues to make wine for other wineries along with Smith Story and LaRue.
"In an industry that is predominantly made up of men, Katy has helped pave the way for future women winemakers just by being a present force. She has set the precedent and is an example of the pure energy, drive, and willingness to learn what it takes to become a female winemaker in today’s society."
Lord Sandwich
GREATEST WINERY DOG OF ALL TIME!
So much to say about this gentle giant! Born on May 19, 2012 in Clements, California,
Sandwich is a first generation goldendoodle. Follow SANDWICHTHEDOODLE daily on IG. Lord Sandwich leads SocksforSandwich.org for us, as of 2023 over 60,000 pairs of new socks have been donated to families in need across the USA.
Current Likes: Butter, Neighbor Cats, Socks, Pizza Bones, a ride in the AliTaxi and enjoying a second dinner these days.
Current Dislikes: not getting a second dinner!
MEET SIR ROYAL SOUP
Sir Royal Soup joined the Smith Story family in the winter of 2023. Like his big brother Sandwich, he’s a Goldendoodle…and a very welcome addition to the world of Smith Story. With his signature expressive eyes and “power tail,” Soup loves greeting guests and sparking laughter. He’s 80 pounds of pure fun and sweetness.
Soup’s Favorites: Riding shotgun in “The Fun Parent’s” truck & doing Zoomies in the barrel room.
Soup’s Not-So-Favorites: Being yelled at, he’s a sensitive soul!