Wine interviews can come in the most serendipitous of circumstances. I was emailing with Sadie Drury about an event that she helps put on at Seven Hills Vineyard and I realized that it had been far too long since I had interviewed a well-known vineyard manager. Sadie has a degree from the Walla Walla Community College program in Enology and Viticulture and interned at the famed Red Mountain Ciel du Cheval Vineyard before becoming Assistant Vineyard Manager there. She manages eight vineyards including the Seven Hills Vineyard. I think you will very much enjoy hearing her story in wine. Here is my interview with Sadie Drury, General Manager of North Slope Management.
WWB: How did you decide to pursue a career in viticulture?
SD: I have always enjoyed working outdoors and in agriculture. I had been training horses but after a few dead ends I knew it was time to find something else. A date with a winemaker of all things led me to decide to grow grapes. I liked wine and I wanted to be a farmer so I thought it would be a good fit. After my first viticulture class at WWCC I knew I had found my calling.
WWB: What were some of your first major moments in wine education and who have been some of your biggest mentors?
SD: I had the opportunity to learn from Stan Clarke before he passed away. He really took a chance on me by letting me in the Enology and Viticulture program at WWCC, and I knew I didn’t want to let him down. My first viticulture internship was at Ciel du Cheval in 2008, and so my bosses were Ryan Johnson and Jim Holmes. I was always in awe of how much they knew about vineyards and how well they could balance the demands of growing grapes for so many important customers. Additionally, on my first day of work Ryan sent me over to meet the neighbor, Dick Boushey, who was planting a vineyard. He and I immediately hit it off. My introduction to such important people in the industry were huge moments in establishing my career. All four men have taught me a lot along the way and have been amazing mentors to me.
WWB: You currently manage eight different vineyards. What are some of the challenges with this huge task?
SD: The biggest challenge to managing eight properties is employing enough people to farm them and then prioritizing the jobs that need to get done on each property with nothing slipping between the cracks. My seven years managing vineyards at SeVein have taught me which properties I need to tackle first, and which blocks and varieties are more forgiving and I can push out to last. During the growing season I try to get into each vineyard each day so nothing is missed. Overall, communication with the winemakers and landowners is key to getting the jobs done in a logical order and keeping everyone happy. I have an amazing team of employees who understand this challenge and help me in every way possible.
WWB: Can you talk about some of the challenges with managing vineyards in very hot vintages like 2015 and 2016?
SD: I don’t think anyone knows the best way to manage vineyards on really hot vintages yet, which is why I took a recent trip to South Australia to learn what they are doing. The challenge on hot vintages is really being flexible, proactive, and believing that the decisions you are making in the moment are the best decisions. When there’s abnormal heat in the forecast, sometimes I have to throw out what’s “normal.” Irrigation and canopy management are the two most important things we will do during the growing season and we really only have one shot to get it right. If I have the crew pull too many leaves or if I underwater a little too much during a heat wave, I just potentially ruined the wine.
WWB: When you are not enjoying Washington wines, what are some of your favorite wines of the world? What is your favorite wine that you have had from one of the vineyards that you manage?
SD: I love Oregon Pinot Noir and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, probably because I can’t get anything similar from Washington.
As for the wines that I grow, L’Ecole’s Estate Ferguson Vineyard is my favorite vintage after vintage. It’s incredibly terroir-driven and solidly made. It’s a challenging site to farm because of the thin soils and windy location, so I really taste all the hard work come together in the bottle.