A letter to my friends in 2014: Just a reminder that I started a winery with the love of my life in 2014.
I’m sorry I haven’t been around much. Yeah, I hear you on “she hasn’t lost that baby weight yet”. You see me, alright, but don’t see the 18 hour days that have gone on for years. Well only those who really know me have reached out, picked up the phone, texted me to see if I can come over for dinner, even a quick coffee “how are you, I miss you”. Most of you haven’t though. Busy lives, we all lead. But most of you haven’t bc you have big obligations too... kids, vacations, jobs, charity work, kids sports, all the things that require your everything. I get this, don’t hold it against you but know that I am with you.
I am so unbelievably tired, I’ve aged beyond my imagination. Starting a new company at age 40 is not for the weak. Balancing this with being newly-wed and also there is the whole incredibly wonderful Lord Sandwich thing. Most of the time when I do have time to call you, I’m out of signal driving to & from a tasting room, warehouse, airport or vineyard...or just too damn tired of talking for the day. It’s a real thing, don’t take it personally.
The last years have been a complete ass-kicker on many levels. No, I don’t and haven’t had time to take for almost everything outside of running and building Smith Story Wine Cellars. No regrets other than a few bad choices made believing in people that asked me to. Remember, Eric & I bet the farm starting this awesome winery together. A tiny farm that was hard earned in the first place.
I want you to know, I am just now feeling like I can send the kids off to kindergarten. Remember that feeling? Sorta like when the baby finally sleeps through the night I imagine. I can only imagine bc I also had a total hysterectomy Xmas of 2016 bc my lifetime of pain was never diagnosed correctly. Yeah, didn’t really fit in my plans, didnt let that ever slow me down. So...what Eric and I have dedicated ourselves to took and continues to take sacrifice and is driven by our passion for this business. A business that is not easy, we’re never giving up.
Oh you haven’t seen an invite? Well.. our house, I use to entertain, now our house is filled with wine inventory that we shuffle up and down Hwy 101. My brother commented after a recent trip to Napa how he saw all the family portraits along the walls of wineries. Starting from scratch, the two (3 bc Sandwich) of us are the only ones to hang on walls but we don’t have time to frame the photo yet. True Story.
Please. Don’t count us out, we miss you all and miss the times that an open bottle of wine, cards of humanity, delicious snacks and tear dripping belly laughs brought. We’re still around, grinding so hard and doing the only thing we know how to do to have a life again at some point soon. I ask to please support us with the same passion you see in me and in Smith Story Wine Cellars. Your friend forever, Ali