Looking Back 5 Years: Kathryn's story

Gearing up for our 5^th Anniversary Celebration in September, we’re asking each member of the Mueller family to remember back to 5 years ago and share their story.

Kathryn

Kathryn, 2012

Exactly five years ago, I was in New Mexico for the summer, singing with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. It was a wonderful summer of music and I got to share a house in the juniper-dotted hills with my dear friend and colleague Nathan (we call him Original Nathan – you’ll see why when you read on), but I was eagerly anticipating my return to Tucson to get ready for the Grand Opening of Canelo Hills.

Since I arrived in Tucson in 2004 for grad school at the U of A, I’d become more and more involved in Canelo Hills over the years: rounding up music student friends for volunteer planting days each spring (we were rewarded with lunch, beer and tractor rides), helping my mother in the vineyard, building our website, and doing publicity for our pre-opening Wine and Farm Festival and the Grand Opening. By August we had our first vintage in bottles, and we were ready for September 22.

Opera Tailgating in 2007

Tailgating at the Santa Fe Opera, I shared a bottle of Canelo Hills wine with my Chorale buddies. They were amazed, first of all that it was good (of course my parents’ wines are delicious and well-crafted!), and second that my parents were really going to do this winery thing, to live their dream. In the months leading up to opening it was fun to talk with friends, colleagues, and new acquaintances about this big adventure my family was about to have.

Opening Day: Sept. 22, 2007

And then the adventure arrived. For Grand Opening day I rounded up Original Nathan to help pour, and we shared my parents' wines from behind the thick mesquite slab of our brand-new tasting table. The varnish was about 95% dry. We were busy! Many friends came down to Sonoita to be a part of the excitement, and new customers wandered in to try our wines, which were a hit. At the end of the day the whole family was exhausted, but happy. It was the first of many exhausting but rewarding days at Canelo Hills.

I now live in Raleigh, NC with my husband Nathan (New Nathan, or now, just Nathan) and I still do marketing work for Canelo Hills remotely. I’m super excited to fly to Arizona for our 5^th Anniversary Celebration in September. Please come visit us that weekend, and share your story of Canelo Hills!

Kathryn and New Nathan at Canelo Hills

The grapes are harvested!

Whew! The past week has been a busy one. Tim and I had planned to spend the week-end labeling our wine and getting the building ready for our Sept 22 Grand Opening. Then Tropical Storm Henriette threatened both our vineyard in Sonoita and our grape suppliers' vineyards in Willcox. We all made a quick decision to get most of the grapes off the vines. So, Tim and I had several long days, from before sunrise to after sunset, picking, destemming and crushing. The winery now smells of fermenting grapes but Tim will write more about that as he is the wine maker. As the farmer in the family, it is a good feeling to have the grapes in bins. Now I can get back to preparing for the opening.

One Month Until Opening!

Our Grand Opening is in one month and we are busy getting ready. All the wine Tim made last fall, the Syrah, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Malvasia, Cabernet Sauvignon and the Riesling is in bottles and will be available for tasting. The labels are in and the glasses have been delivered (actually, they are sitting next door on Callaghan's porch until Tim and I can get over there to fetch them). Last week-end Ian and Rhain visited from New York City and consulted on designing the tasting area. Tim and I are working on that. Kathryn and I are planning a fun event starting with a blog scavenger hunt. The first item to find will appear on our web site soon. So check back in the next day or two to start collecting the answers.