Marie Gewirtz - 2011 President, Sonoma County Harvest Fair
Sonoma County Harvest Fair is a celebration of harvest featuring three full days of wine tasting with 150+ wineries, wine sales, marketplace, chef demonstrations, farm and harvest agricultural activities for children and adults, the World Championship Grape Stomp, continuous live jazz, an art show and sale, crafters pavilion, farm animals to meet, and much more.
September 30th - October 2nd
Nicole, just like her twin sister Katey started her love for the wine industry at an early age. Growing up on the ranch and watching her father and grandfather develop their property from barren land with a few prune trees to what it is today, has been an inspiration for her to continue the family legacy. After high school she attended San Diego State receiving a Business degree with an emphasis in marketing. She gained real world experience by heading out on the road and building accounts with retail outlets and restaurants all over California. As in most family business Nicole and Katey take a hand in every daily winery and vineyard activity. In December of 2006, Nicole met and feel in love with Jarrod Dericco, also a Healdsburg native. Jarrod has also lent a hand in the vineyards; this harvest will be his third with the family. The two are scheduled to marry in June of 2010.
Nicole has now teamed up with her sister Katey to develop new marketing strategies aimed at their own demographics.
“Most of my friends and people I meet that are in our age range (24-30) drink wine, and lots of it. We have a huge advantage in that, Katey and I are part of this population we know how they think, act and buy their wine and mostly importantly what they want out of their wine tasting and buying experience. We want to show the industry that you can up hold your traditional values and family heritage but also be on the edge and take risks in our marketing efforts.”
In 2006 with Nicole heading the project the family began the endeavor of building their own tasting room on Westside Rd to showcase John Tyler Wines to the public. The end result will be a place where customers can experience the history of the early days of the wine industry, including all that the Bacigalupi and Heck families have contributed over the years.