Patricia O’Brien of Danza del Sol Winery and Masia de la Vinya Winery
Temecula
After more than a decade in publishing, Patricia O’Brien made the move to Temecula with her family with the intention of being a stay-at-home mom. However, after being recommended for a job at a local winery, O’Brien took on the role as a wine club manager. Today–15 years after her move–O’Brien is the director of Sales & Operations at Danza del Sol Winery and Masia de la Vinya Winery.
What inspired your career in the wine industry? After 11 years of working in the fast-paced world of publishing, our family moved to Temecula where the plan was for me to become a stay-at-home mom after the birth of our son. Although I really treasured the time I was able to spend with him, I quickly realized I needed more adult interaction in my daily life. So, when a friend recommended me for a job at a local winery, I applied and was hired as the wine club manager. From my first day on the job, I was hooked on the “wine hospitality” bug. And the rest, as they say, is history.
What does your day-to-day look like? My day begins at 5:30 a.m. I usually spend the first 30 minutes of the morning mapping my day. Then I hit the ground running with my mom “gig” which consists of waking up the kids and making sure they eat, get dressed and get off to school. My amazing husband, Patrick, and I alternate drop-off and pickup. My mornings are usually reserved for meetings. Depending on the week, I’ll have “check-in” meetings with the owner, wine club director, hospitality director, marketing team, winemaker or controller. I’m responsible for five revenue streams for two wineries; therefore, my days consist of financial analysis, marketing and brand strategies, wine inventory analysis, HR and industry committee meetings. I do not work a traditional 9-to-5 job, which I love. The flexibility allows me to be a “boss lady” and soccer mom all on the same day!
What do the wineries you work with specialize in? Danza del Sol Winery specializes in producing wines with a strong Mediterranean influence. We pride ourselves on having wine for everyone’s palate. We also have the oldest commercial Sauvignon Blanc vines in the valley; they were planted in 1972. Masia de la Vinya Winery specializes in producing wines with a heavy Spanish influence such as our estate-grown Malbec and Barbera. With an Old-World approach, we are passionate about producing wines that are filled with tradition and simplicity, while incorporating new-age techniques to ensure great, high-quality wines.
What is the biggest reward in working in the wine industry? What about the biggest challenge? The biggest reward hands down are the people and relationship you gain from being in the wine industry. I’ve worked in the industry for almost 15 years and have made so many amazing connections. I’ve worked with and met so many amazing winemakers, including Mike Tingley, Arturo Villarreal and Justin Knight. I was fortunate enough to work for so many amazing owners like Bob Olson, Ken Smith and Cane Vanderhoof. I’ve been blessed to hire, mentor and work with some of the best people I know. I’m honored to work with an amazing management team with whom I collaborate daily to execute our plan and objectives.
One of the biggest challenges working in the wine industry is recruiting a diverse workforce. As an African American woman who loves wine, I’d love to see more people of color working in the wine industry at the decision-making level. Not just in frontline tasting rooms but as wine educators, marketing directors, wine club managers, hospitality directors and general managers. With economic challenges forecasted, the wine industry would be smart to look to introducing wine to different groups of people to grow the market. Another way is to reimagine the hiring process or recruitment of candidates. Simply put, the wine industry should broaden its search to “whom we think” likes wine to introduce wine to many diverse segments of society. Access to wine education is also key to achieving this.
What does the future of the industry look like to you? The future in wine to me looks bright with millennials embracing experimentation in beverages. Alternative packaging is here to stay. Single-serve wine bottles or “wine in a can” are becoming more popular, especially those with eco-friendly packaging. Also, there are some truly amazing, quality wines being produced across the United States. Some fan favorites of mine are Walla Walla Valley in Washington, Willamette Valley in Oregon, Fredericksburg in Texas, and Temecula Valley in Southern California.