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Published: 1 years 199 days ago
Growing Region: Central Coast
To hear Nicholas Miller describe his most beloved vineyard, it’s easy to understand why growing grapes is his chosen vocation.
“Everyone has one place they want to be more than anywhere else on earth. For me, that’s the vineyard. Trite as it might sound, it really is a happy place,” explains Nicholas. “It’s the place where I grew up, where I worked during breaks from school. The place where my wife Shelly and I had our wedding reception. I feel a very strong emotional attachment to it. Every day I’m there I’m constantly awed by the physical beauty of it and I’m so proud of the wines that the winemakers make from it.”
But the vineyards represent more than just pretty scenery and delicious wines; they’re also the impetus behind farming practices that benefit the environment.
“The concept of sustainable farming just makes sense for a family business that wants to be here for generations to come,” explains Nicholas. “Everything we do comes from the forethought that we want it to be around for generations to come. There’s no reason for short-term gains at the expense of the future,” he says, adding that they employ organic methods on several blocks, use compost tea on most of their acreage, have installed solar-powered hillside gates, and control weeds as much as possible by hoeing and planting cover crops.
Nicholas explains that when you enjoy wine, you’re savoring more than the beverage itself. “There’s a huge social aspect of wine. It’s associated with bringing people together. And there’s a huge back story behind every bottle. We work our hardest to produce the best fruit we can and the hands we put it in are so talented, it’s always so amazing to see what the winemakers do with it.”
Business philosophy: “We want to be the quality choice for wine solutions.”
Food wine pairing: “Salmon that one of our vineyard managers caught in Alaska paired with a pinot noir that went together perfectly.”
Before farming: Worked at a marketing consulting firm in Boston. “I think it helped me appreciate what a blessing it is to come back to this.”
Hobbies: Playing sports with and cheering for his wife, Shelly.
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