Satori Cellars, Gilroy
The
Vine
Written By Bev Stenehjem
Satori Cellars, the most laid back and fun winery in Santa Clara Valley, is owned by Sandy and Tom Moller. Taking the fi rst two letters of their names (SA and
TO) along with the fi rst two letters (RI) of their son’s name, Riley – they came up with their winery’s name which they opened in 2006. Bright, colorful swirls
defi ne their logo and fl owing décor – they are the only winery in our region where you can pull up a seat at their bar. Adirondack chairs, painted in primary
colors, and umbrella picnic tables dot the patio where friendly dogs laze in the shade. Close your eyes and it’s easy to imagine you are in a special kind of
nirvana. Open every weekend, Satori lives up to their tagline, “There is always a party at Satori,” with live music, art and jewelry exhibits, yoga and more.
How did you get started in wine?
Started as a hobby, which got a bit out of control I guess. I received lots
of help and advice from three friends who are experienced home wine-
makers. I also read a bunch, asked lots of questions from real experts
and have taken classes in viticulture on the premise that it’s easier to
make good wine if you have good grapes. (It is.)
Do you miss “corporate world” or are you happy in your new
career and why?
I worked in power semiconductors for a few companies, mostly Ericsson
in Morgan Hill (now Infi neon) where I started as an engineer and
became the manager. Timing was good as the demand for these devices
skyrocketed as cellular grew more popular in the ‘90s.
The decision to switch to winemaking came relatively easily as so
many indicators were pointing me in the direction to do it. Somehow
I found myself with this fairly good chunk of land, with a grapevine
experiment that had gone really well. Winemaking was fun to me and
seemed actually like an option. On the other hand, my day job, which
required extensive travel and had been transitioning to new owners, was
no longer enjoyable. I was also at the age where a lot of folks think about
shaking things up and I thought, why not. So with Sandy’s support we
embarked on a new phase of our life.
I would say yes, I am happy I left the corporate silliness. The first
few years were challenging but it gets easier mostly (the drought was
a challenge). I miss many people who I used to see and interact with
regularly and now only get to do it occasionally. And of course a regular
paycheck was nice. Otherwise, I don’t miss it hardly at all.
What kind of vibe does your winery have?
Easygoing, fun. When I suggested the possibility of starting a winery to
Sandy she supported the idea under one condition: that it be fun.
So with that in mind we seldom use the “w” word (work)- - choosing to
believe that we are at play, rather than at work. Our staff members are
called “Players.” When I am curious about who is going to be here on a
certain day I ask “who’s Playing?” At fi rst it was a bit strange but now
I don’t even think about it.
What is your all-time favorite food and wine pairing?
Good chocolate with a nice big red wine is hard to beat.
What kinds of wine do you specialize in?
Mostly big reds like Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah,
Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. Occasionally we do a late harvest
or a Pinot Noir. The main reason I focus on big reds is because of the
weather; hot days and cool nights are ideal for these varietals. It’s good
for certain whites too, but they generally desire cooler temperatures
and with the cooler climates of Monterey and Santa Cruz County so
close I felt it was maybe better to leave growing the whites to them. Not
that there aren’t great whites grown in Santa Clara Valley, there are,
but that was my reasoning seventeen years ago when I started planting.
Funniest customer story?
We described one of our fi rst vintage wines as having “notes of
tobacco.” My Mom read it and said “maybe you should just throw that
batch out.”
What has surprised you about being a winemaker?
How much can change year over year. Seems there’s always a new
challenge. What is the biggest misconception about you?
That I “retired” to do this. Running a winery/vineyard is about as far
from retirement as I can imagine.
What goals in winemaking are you still working to achieve?
Trying to relax about it more and trust that Mother Nature knows
what she’s doing. If you were a wine grape, which one would it be and why?
Probably Zinfandel grapes- they are wild and unpredictable.
What do you fi nd to be the hardest part of harvest? Early and
long hours become exhausting. Making the decisions on what to pick
and when.
Does your winery have a pet mascot?
We’ve got a bunch of mascots: dogs, horses and a cat.
What wines do you drink when you are not drinking your own
wine? That’s easy -- beer. There’s an old expression that it takes a lot
of beer to make wine and there’s some truth to it. Making and growing
wine is mostly fun but can also be quite repetitive (e.g., on the fi rst day
of pruning vines and after the fi rst fi ve minutes, you can’t help but think
one down; 9,299 to go…) and so sipping beer helps sometimes (and it’s
allowed!). Sipping wine sounds nice but it can catch up with you quickly
and make for a short workday.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
Bev Stenehjem is a local wine enthusiast, author
and freelance writer focused on the wineries of
Santa Clara Valley. Bev wrote “The Wineries
of Santa Clara Valley,” a historical photo book
published by Arcadia Publishing in 2015. Bev
conducts occasional wine and food pairing events
at the local wineries and through Gavilan College
Community Education. She is passionate about
shining a light on the world-class wines of the
Santa Clara Valley and the people behind them.
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