Deep Thoughts with Stephen Ross-Dooley: Stephen Ross Wine Cellars
Stephen Ross-Dooley, Stephen Ross Wine Cellars
(Written for the Deep Thoughts blog by Breakaway Tours & Event Planning, Jan. 2018)
Stephen Ross Dooley is the owner and winemaker at Stephen Ross Wine Cellars. Based in San Luis Obispo, California since 1994, Stephen Ross serves their small production, limited release Pinot Noirs and other wines in his urban tasting room, just steps away from the cellar where he creates them.
Breakaway Tours (BT): What is your name and where do you work?
Stephen Ross Dooley: Stephen Ross Dooley, Stephen Ross Wine Cellars
BT: What’s your role at Stephen Ross Wine Cellars?
Ross: Owner Winemaker – so winemaking, sales, facility maintenance, you name it, I do it.
BT: How long have you been working in the industry and what prompted you to get started?
Ross: I started in 1977. My interest in fermentation, art, science, and Mother Nature got me started.
BT: Do you have a formal education in winemaking? If so, what is it?
Ross: Yes. [I have a] degree in Oenology from UC Davis.
BT: What do you love about wine?
Ross: Everything. It makes food taste better; it’s dynamic, it’s tied to Mother Nature, it’s fun to make, fun to drink, [etc.]
BT: Briefly describe your average day at work.
Ross: First thing, coordinate work orders with my cellar crew. Then the day is launched – tasting wine out of barrels, making wine decisions, sales decisions, planning, the list goes on and on in a small winery like ours. We do everything every day.
Stephe Ross Wine Cellars San Luis Obispo tasting room
BT: What’s your winemaking style? How do you think your approach differs from other winemakers?
Ross: I source the highest quality grapes I can grow or buy, then shepherd the grapes through a modern, well-equipped cellar, using the gentlest winemaking techniques to let the terroir express itself, and make delicious wines. I can’t speak to others’ approaches. I do what I think is best, based on my experience, to produce wines that consumers want to drink.
BT: Who are the key players on your team?
Ross: My business partner is my wife, Paula Dooley, who is key in all areas. In production, Mike Ortlieb and Jessie Poletti; in marketing/sales, Amanda Perry and Maureen Forsberg.
“Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Albarino, Grenache.
So many wines, so little time…”
BT: Of your current releases, what’s tasting great right now and what would you pair with it?
Ross: [The] 2015 Stephen Ross Pinot Noir, Edna Valley pairs with so many things. From grilled salmon and prime rib to lentil stew. And it pairs well with 5 o’clock.
BT: How important are the connections and relationships you have with others in the wine industry as well as other sectors like food, hospitality, and tourism to your success?
Ross: The key word is Relationships – if you want to succeed long term, you have a good relationship with everyone you do business with.
Stephen Ross Wine Cellars San Luis Obispo tasting room
BT: What experience can your guests expect to have in your tasting room?
Ross: We offer a friendly, wine-centric tasting experience, and an opportunity to tour the cellar.
BT: What do you hope people will say about your wine?
Ross: People already say, “these wines are amazing,” we just want more people to be exposed to our wine so [that] they can say the same thing.
BT: What do you think are the strengths and weakness of California wine?
Ross: [The] strengths: the weather and freedom to grow what we want where we want; new world winemaking, while [remaining] respectful of tradition and what it teaches us; also benefits from improved technology in the vineyards and cellars. There are no weaknesses in California.
BT: What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Ross: Producing excellent wines.
BT: What’s the hardest part about making wine year in and year out?
Ross: Nothing is hard – this is the fun part of the job.
BT: Any wine trends you love right now?
Ross: Lower alcohols; improved vineyard practices, such as clonal selections, sustainability, and trends toward organic farming.
BT: Describe a memorable wine drinking experience.
Ross: Backpacking in the Sierras, we toted in a 500ml can of Jackhammer Pinot Noir, and at the end of an arduous first day, it was the best wine we had ever had in our lives.
BT: What’s your guilty food and wine pairing?
Ross: I have no guilt about food or wine. Pairing or otherwise.
BT: What beer do you drink during harvest?
Ross: The coldest one I can find. And lots of coffee, which isn’t beer, but it’s realistic.
Visit Stephen Ross Winery at 178 Suburban Rd., San Luis Obispo, CA
Follow on Instagram @stephenrosswinecellars