Lloyd Davis of Corner 103
Sonoma
After taking over an ailing Viansa Winery, transforming it into a success story and then selling it in 2013, Lloyd Davis decided it was time to leave his three-decade-long career in finance and make his next chapter in the wine industry. He thus founded Corner 103, an award-winning Sonoma tasting room that reshapes the sometimes intimidating nature of wine tasting into a fun and comfortable experience for all who want to partake.
What inspired your career in the wine industry? I spent over 30 years in the financial services industry and wanted a change. After visiting Sonoma and turning around Viansa Winery, I decided the next chapter of my life would be in wine.
How did you get your start? My Hedge Fund made an investment in Viansa Winery that went bad. I took it over and returned it to profitability and restored it to winning wine competitions and being recognized as one of the best wineries in Sonoma Valley. I sold Viansa in 2013 and decided to retire from my financial life and start my next chapter in the wine industry. I recognized that most people are intimidated by wine and wanted to change that. So I created Corner 103 to be a place where my guests can learn all aspects of wine in a non-intimidating environment.
What does Corner 103 specialize in? We offer a seated, one-on-one tasting experience where our guests taste five award-winning wines of their choice. We explain each wine in a fun way and let our guests tell us what they smell and taste. We help our guests understand that they are a wine expert because they know what they like and dislike. We try to empower them to understand that drinking wine is like drinking water. You pick up the glass and take a sip. And just like water, people have a preference. Some prefer tap water. Some prefer bottled water. Some prefer sparkling water. The operative word is “prefer.” People have a water preference. No one says that they are a water expert. We tell our guests that they are all wine experts because they know what they like and dislike.
What is the biggest reward in being in the wine industry? What about the biggest challenge? My biggest reward is having my guests tell me that the Corner 103 experience was the best that they have ever had. That it was the first wine tasting where they enjoyed every wine. That they feel more comfortable drinking wine and being around their wine snob friends. My biggest challenge is Mother Nature. Each year you never know what’s going to happen.
What career goals do you hope to meet in 2023? To continue to make award-winning wines and maintain an environment that my guests love and recommend.
What does the future of the industry look like to you? I think it’s bright. During good and bad times, people drink wine!