Behind the vine

Janis Pelletiere - Pelletiere Estate - Paso Robles, California

When do you think you fell in love with wine, enough to make a career of it?

I've been a lifelong entrepreneur. I started a market research company when I was 21 and I grew it over 29 years. After I sold my company my plan was to simply retire, but 5 years into retirement I realized I didn't want to leave currency, I wanted to leave a legacy.

As I began looking for income-producing land, I fell in love with the idea of an all-estate winery. I went searching for a winery and the property I ended up buying has Italian varietals and was pretty distressed. We remodeled and rebranded and it has been a great legacy project for me. I landed in the right place - the up-and-coming California wine scene.

What story does your wine tell?

Pelletiere is my family name and my whole life I've had people tell me it would be a great name for a winery. When I was looking in the area, this was the only winery for sale in the Willow Creek district - the finest growing district in Paso Robles. There were Italian varietals, which I was not specifically looking for, but now I feel really fortunate because we have a little niche that sets us apart.

We're a very small production - a 16-acre property that produces 1400 cases a year - and these wines represent the terroir and the labor and love of the people who grow and farm them. We grow Sangiovese, Primitivo, Aglianico, Cannonau, Syrah and Viognier. We produce premium all-Estate Italian varietals that are single vineyard and varietal. Our winemaker makes wine with finesse, so our bottles tell a story of elegance and quality and represent a place and a time.

What misconceptions about wine do you think people should forget?

I think most people get too hung up on how long wine is open. I hear it in the tasting room all the time: We opened a bottle, so we had to finish it. In reality, most people don't allow for the time wine needs to breathe because they feel like they're working against the clock.

What great things about wine do you think people should remember?

Wine as a whole has so many components to it. You'll never learn everything because it is ever-changing and unique on so many levels.

From a consumer standpoint, I can't find another beverage that has the complexity of wine. From a business standpoint, I love that it continues to grow and each vintage is different in its own way. I like that Mother Nature plays a role in wine and that she keeps us producing every year.

Most of all, I've become entirely aware that the cycle of wine emulates the human lifecycle. Early on wine is like a baby, an infant, but 2 years later there's a huge evolution. As wine begins to see mid-life, it is still evolving, but not as quickly. Eventually, wine, like humans, doesn't evolve anymore. It starts to decline. So while it's not the same span of time, it's the same cycle. I'm so intrigued by the wine that wine is alive. We humans, and wine, change every day. It can be so slight that you don't notice it, but it's there!

What is a piece of advice you would give to a woman interested in breaking into the wine world?

The same piece of advice I'd give to anyone who is getting into any industry: work your ass off. Don't give up. Keep plugging away, and don't say you can't do it, because you can!

Who is a woman in wine you think everyone should know about?

Amy Butler is my pick. She taught me so much with her own experience in the vineyard and with small production wines. I took possession of the winery the day before harvest and Amy told me all the things to do. She knew what we needed to get started and she's been a great friend and mentor to me. I have the utmost respect for her.

Where can women find your wine?

We're a very small production, 55% of what we make is already allocated to the wine club. You can shop or join our wine club on our site!