Update as of February 28 at 2pm. 
 

3101 BOTTLES SOLD, THANK YOU!

The Storyteller Spring Wine Release allocations are now secured. But hold on, we can do this! The 10,000 bottle campaign is now extended through March 15. Shop online or visit us in Healdsburg Fridays through Mondays. 

The weather here was not kind to us the first few weeks of February with heavy rain storms and power-outages. Unfortunately visitation was very quiet here in wine country. 

10 years of betting the farm for us; making fine wines, pulling corks, sleepless nights, shaking hands, giving hugs, sending thank yous, petting dogs, kissing babies and running our small but mighty winery through some very tough years.

TODAY: We only need 700 fans to take advantage of our $10 shipping on 10 Bottles or more special savings to make our goal happen. Bottle prices range from $14 for our rosé to $125 for a library edition cabernet sauvignon. 

Help us meet our 10,000 bottle goal and help you save on small hand-crafted Smith Story Wines. Our 2024 Spring Wine Release wines will begin shipping on April 1 and also available for pick-up in Healdsburg then. 

Remember we're drawing names of 10 lucky people once we hit 10,000 bottles for a private tasting in your home town or ours. So keep sharing this opportunity with your friends and help spread the word. 

LET'S DO THIS! 

NEED HELP DECIDING?

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS AVAILABLE...

2021 Lord Sandwich Blanc: 69 bottles 

2021 Smith Story Rosé: 636 bottles

2022 BRAVE Carbonic Zin: 106 bottles

2022 Smith Story Filigreen Farm Pinot Noir: 1336 bottles

2016 Smith Story Pickberry Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon: 72 bottles 

SMITH STORY WINE SHOP
 

Sunday February 18, 2024
 

Hello from Healdsburg. Join me this weekend in Healdsburg here if you can. I'm leading a tasting of our "first borns", offering one session per day next Saturday and Sunday only. It's going to be so special to have you here and to pull corks and let you in on our journey along the way. Seating is limited to 20 people each day.  I'm only opening one bottle of each wine, a few bottles will be available for purchase afterwards too. We don't have ample inventory.  Details and to secure a seat are on TOCK

I'm writing to you today for more reasons than you probably care to hear about. But a few things on my mind I think I should share, so here's a story. 

I've been in the wine business pretty much my entire adult life. This business has taken me around the world, taught me lessons no class nor school could come close to, connected me with the dearest humans beings on the planet, heck, it's how I met my wife! Now here I am in 2024, sitting behind a laptop waiting to host guests with a new Smith Story ballcap on and a wearing a decade old flannel shirt spilling my guts to you. 

Celebrating Ten Years of Smith Story Wine Cellars is a big deal in my world. Ten years ago is more like 14 years ago to me. 14 years ago I began falling pretty hard for a gal from Texas with big hair and an even bigger sense of humor. A woman who was nearly possessed about creating success for family owned wineries and also made me laugh. Ali had become a leader among leaders in the wine biz and a real protagonist for family owned wineries across the world since the day we met in 2003.

It was then 14 years go that we both began saying to each other "What if, what if one day we started a winery ourselves? What wines would we make, how would and could we afford to do such a thing". We both knew Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and a bright, fresh and tasty Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County were first on our list of wines to make. 

So we went deep into planning together and began detailing our future of starting a small winery mostly at night after work and over dinner and bottles we found inspiration from. Ali and I both loved our current jobs, mine as a head wine buyer for K&L Wine Merchants and Ali's sales and marketing role consulting for family owned wineries. As soon as we began asking vintner friends and wine biz pros what they thought of our new winery plan, they unanimously said YES! DO IT! YOU GOT THIS! 

Fast forward to today, February 18, 2024. The wine business for boutique family owned wineries has changed. Mostly due to modest financial means of a boutique winery now having to compete with the well-funded and huge wineries from here and all over the world more than ever before. 

So today, I only look back on the struggles of recent years to lean into boundless strength and continue to move forward. Two very special wines in our 2024 Smith Story Spring Wine Release are from the 2022 vintage.  Ali and I were waiting on results during this harvest season from her scans after 18 months of breast cancer treatment. God knows we were trying our best to "never let them see you sweat'. Well, it was in the middle of harvest that we did receive news of "no evidence of disease".  GOOD NEWS!  These 2022 wines are full of emotion for us. A vintage full of celebration and also a vintage that we began rebuilding, we could finally take a breath. The past few years were almost to much to bear. But oh how the business has changed since fires and the pandemic years, yet again we got to work pushing ourselves harder than we could have ever imagined. 

So wearing my heart on my old flannel shirt today with you. Thanks for listening. Thanks for loving our wines, thanks for the endless support and understanding of what our small family has endured these last handful of years to just keep making wine with integrity, create a livelihood for our family and our future. 

Please don't hesitate, jump on these new release wines now. They will not be available on your favorite discount websites or even in our own personal favorite wine shops, we could only make tiny amounts due to limited budgets. If you are reading now this far along, you probably enjoy our single vineyard Pinot Noirs from the Anderson Valley. The Filigreen Farm linked below is a stunner, take my word for it, it's one for the ages. Once you've enjoyed good, real fine wine, there's no going back! 

 - Eric 

2022 SMITH STORY FILIGREEN FARM PINOT NOIR, ANDERSON VALLEY
Our Storytellers have secured their allocations and remaining inventory is now available for purchase. 
 

Our single vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs have been nothing less than a huge success since we began producing wine in 2014. You loved our 2017 Pinot Gris from Filigreen Farm. 2022 is our first Pinot Noir from this biodynamic and organically farmed beloved Anderson Valley vineyard. Our first time using 50% whole cluster too.

Quintessential Anderson Valley spice on the nose, 100% pommard clone clusters that produced juicy wild berries with vivid aromas. The mouthfeel is layered and full of fruit packed with blue and black berries intermingled with glamorous intensity but remains very fresh. A true Smith Story Star. 

Biodynamic farming, hand harvested on 9/24/22, hand sorted 50% destemmed, 50% whole cluster, fermented in stainless steel tank, Rested in French Burgundy barrels 65% neutral & 35% new. 100% Pommard clone.  Alc. 13.3%, 250 case production (this wine will begin shipping and be available for pickup April 2024).

$10 on 10 Bottles or More // 10,000 Bottles of Smith Story 

This is the adorable face of loyalty! Redwood City native, Eric Story has been a San Francisco 49ers fan his entire life. I've been a fan of clever Super Bowl commercials my entire life, so Super Bowl LVIII is a dream! 

Loyal fans of Smith Story Wines are the reason we've achieved 10 years. Well over half of our active customers have been with us for over five years now, many since our Kickstarter campaign in 2014. THANK YOU! Yesterday's 3rd Annual Dungeness Crab Cake and White Wine tasting was full of new fans and dedicated Smith Story friends for life. Eric and I feel so very honored, loyalty to our wines means the world to us. Oh and here's my Crab Cake Recipe. 

OFFER ENDS TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT: 
For our Sparkling Wine and Cabernet Sauvignon Fans! 
A gift for you, take $13 off a bottle of each (Smith Story Sparkling and/or 2019 Smith Story Pickberry Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon) when 4 or more bottles are purchased. 

Use this special promo code: lucky13 

AND ... 10,000 Bottles of Smith Story

Take advantage of this tremendous savings and opportunity to help us grow while helping you save. $10 shipping on a 10 bottle purchase or more. 

 - Ali ...so far I loved the opening NFL spot, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups made me laugh and poppi soda was so clever, wish I had one right now. 

An annual tradition for Smith Story Wine Cellars during Dungeness Crab Season. This is Ali's go-to recipe, now these are baked but can easily be fried in olive oil and butter if you prefer. Depending on the type of crab you are using, the salt content of cooked and canned crab can vary significantly. If your crab is very salty to begin with, use the seasoning sparingly. Also, crab in tin cans taste fishy, too fishy for this recipe. Find bulk at your local seafood counter. 

Served with: ANY Smith Story White Wine! But particularly delicious with the 2021 Smith Story Olive Lane Vineyard Chardonnay and Smith Story Sparkling Brut! 

Servings: 15 crab cakes
Prep Time: 30minutes mins
Cook Time: 30minutes mins
Total Time: 1hour 
Ingredients

Crab Cake Ingredients:
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 large shallot, finely diced

• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp mayo
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp old bay seasoning

• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 lb lump crab meat, from 2 Dungeness crabs
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cups parsley, finely chopped

Lemon Aioli Dip:
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 Tbsp Meyer lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced

How to Make Crab Cakes:
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp oil and saute diced bell pepper, shallot (add minced garlic during the last minute) until golden and soft (7-9 min) then   remove from heat and let cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, 3 Tbsp mayo, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, old bay seasoning and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
• Drain and pick over the crab meat to make sure there aren’t any shells, lightly breaking up big pieces of meat. Transfer to the large bowl with egg mixture.
• Add cooled bell pepper and onion, panko crumbs and parsley and stir until combined and moistened. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. THIS IS IMPORTANT!
• Divide mixture into about 15 cakes. With wet hands, lightly shape into 1/2” thick patties. Bake on on cookie sheet at 400 degrees until golden brown. 
 

Aioli
• In a small bowl, stir together the lemon aioli dip ingredients until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with the warm crab cakes.

Serve cakes over a bed of baby Arugula and a Meyer lemon wedge. Micro-greens are also delicious to add. 
 

Hello from a very wet week in Sonoma County. Mother Nature yet again is in charge. Thankfully, we only incurred the inconvenience of a power outage from the winter storm. Sunshine and blue skies are soon to make an appearance. A busy weekend ahead with our 3rd Annual Dungeness Crab Cake Tasting, reservation deadline is end of day today.

10,000 Bottles of Smith Story
UPDATE// We're still hanging right under 3,000 bottles. The state of California is in the lead, with Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Washington making rapid advances. Have you participated yet? Bring your favorite wine friends and co-workers in for a case or two. A tremendous opportunity to help us grow while helping you save. $10 shipping on a 10 bottle purchase or more! 

This week: Thanks to "A Fifty Swifty" as Eric says.
For Our Sparkling Wine and Cabernet Sauvignon Fans! 
A little gift for you, take $13 off a bottle of each (Smith Story Sparkling and/or 2019 Smith Story Pickberry Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon) when 4 or more bottles are purchased. We mentioned that this month is going to be full of specials to help meet the 10,000 Bottles of Smith Story! Pickup in Healdsburg or take advantage of the 10,000 Bottles of Smith Story exclusive shipping deal! Inventory is limited. 

Special Promo Code: lucky13 

2024 Smith Story Spring Wine Release
There is no better time to take advantage of savings benefits. Never joined a wine club? We are members of a very select few and know our dollars matter to the small family owned wineries whose wines we enjoy. Also a great way to discover and explore wines from places we may not normally dive into. 

Storyteller members also have exclusive library releases in this shipment to also select from. We opened a bottle of the 2015 Smith Story Nash Mill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley this week, and yes, it just may be the best, the very best bottle of pinot noir that we have ever sipped. A big statement considering the large number of Pinot Noirs we've had in our lifetime. Opened Saturday night with friends at Flambeaux Wine and saved a little to try again a few days later, this 2015 was PHENOMENAL with bright red fruits wrapped up in a elegant finish. 

This spring release is small but absolutely incredible. You may easily join online for access, our club is simply delicious, customizable, savings on wines, shipping and local hospitality and always delivers the very best of Smith Story Wine Cellars. The spring release includes three single vineyards...

2023 Smith Story Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County // 100 case. 
2022 Smith Story "Lakota's View", Sémillon, Sonoma Mountain // 100 cases. 
2022 Smith Story Filigreen Farm, Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley // 250 cases. 

View 2024 Smith Story Spring Release Details.
 
Peace and love...and drink the good stuff! 

 - Ali & Eric 

Fun Facts about Co-Founder and #Winemaker Eric Story.

Born and raised in #RedwoodCity, CA. After a 16+ year career with K&L Wines, he retired in 2016 to join Smith Story Wine Cellars full-time.

Favorite varietal: #GermanRiesling, #CheninBlanc a close 2nd.

Favorite local #sonomacounty burger: The Spinster Sisters

Eric is a morning person

A loyal #SFGiants fan but is friends with a few Dogers’s fans.

Dream Vacation Spot: Thailand

Favorite thing to cook: Dungeness Crab (old family recipe)

Current Favorite Smith Story Wine: “2018 The Boonies, #AndersonValley, each sip reminds me of planting the Nash Mill Vineyard with dear friends over 20 years ago. “

What’s going on in the cellar right now?? Tasting and analyzing each barrel, tank and concrete egg! Prepping for the largest bottling in a long time is happening in March. The wines releasing this year are some of our very best!

A long time favorite recipe in our house is inspired from Chef Nancy Silverton. Nancy's “A Twist of the Wrist” cookbook is full of simple recipes with complex flavors. The Italian Sausage Ragu has been served to cellar crews, sales teams, VIPS, and at home more times that we can count.  

Last week Ali made this recipe with Tofu replacing the pork sausage, it was delicious! It's great with polenta, pasta or even on a bed of crispy Arugula too. 

Insider tip: have a bottle of Smith Story Sauvignon Blanc chilled in the fridge before cooking. 

Smith Story Wine Pairing: Smith Story Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Italian Ragu

January 2, 2024 

Last year at this time Eric, Sandwich and I were at Sea Ranch, right when Mother Nature let out her mighty winter screams. Stuck without electricity for a few days while watching trees fall from their roots, twisted along the hillsides & homes while listening to massive rain beat down sideways on windows. I was so mad, this was suppose to be a week of big planning and restoration.

Eric took Sandwich in the truck with him early on to check on the tasting room and stay back at home. He made it through a “white out” Hwy 1 coastal drive full of fog, rainy and wind. After a few days of hunkering down. I made it home safely during a tiny break on the horizon. I remember my intense, windy drive home along Hwy 1, heart pounding, white knuckling and also blaring Lauren Daigle from a playlist.

I was going to arrive back home safely and did so.

The strength of that storm, looking back now, set the stage for 2023, a messy one digging out after my cancer battle and covid hardships that hovered over the business, nothing was going to take me off track. Another year of unprecedented times in the wine business ahead, especially for us small guys.

2023: Mostly challenging due to horribly disappointing people along the way. But I along with really great people surrounding us cleared the path much like driving out of the storm in January. Strength & Faith. Never giving up.

Our small but mighty winery ended the year strong, revenues higher than any year before all with the weight of making up for loss of wholesale support during 2020. Our partners who’ve been in this crazy business for decades taught us so much, understanding, patience and also gave us real hope that change was inevitable but good change was ahead for us. Their encouragement gave us big energy.

Huge plans for Smith Story will begin rolling out in the coming weeks, I can’t hardly wait!!

Starting off this first week of the new year with getting some rest, a full heart, a focused mind and with gratitude that yet again, a big year is awaiting our very best yet again.

Eric and I watched a documentary last night about a guy who filmed his entire life of adventures then passed away before he was ready. It was heavy. He loved life, his people and squeezed every second out of his days on earth. I can’t stop thinking about it and the way he lived. He was an explorer, and deeply loved “turning over rocks”. 

A week ahead for me of no emails, no meetings, no hosting. Plans of only putting away Christmas decor, organizing a garage now full of a lost loved one’s most precious belongings, going for a forest bath or two, clearing out an office desk piled high of a physical to-do list and filling our kitchen with nourishing meals. Taking some big breaths. 

2024 
Time is flying these days. I promise myself to do my best at making each day matter, more exploring, more solid sleep, more chasing sunsets, more time in the vineyards, less time in airports,  making more time with family & friends…oh and more smiles, “Fun Ali” is how I want to go out when it’s my time to leave this earth. Adulting is so very hard, but I thank my lucky stars above that I am still here and taking it all in. Smith Story Wine Cellars fills me up each and every day! 

Now time for my morning coffee. A delicious single origin from Ethiopia awaits!!
-Ali Story 

December 28, 2023

GOALS! Yes, even us little guys have goals and strive to meet them. Every day turns into every week that turns into every month and then quarter, all adding up to a year long goal. 

Our goal is always to produce world class fine wine, wine that is made from family farmers with very little funny business in the cellar. Having made 25,000 cases or so and sold just as much these past ten years, we've reached this goal of making quality wine with our name on it. 

2024 is going to bring new and exciting wines!

Financially, as of 11am today, we missed our 2023 goal due to the 3-tier channel combined with our website underperforming. However in total combined sales channels, as of today, we're up 26% from 2022, incredible growth in the most challenging and unprecedented wine economy in our lifetime. Our tasting room visits grew, our local California fine wine accounts grew the most and we welcomed two new 3-tier markets this year, Oklahoma and Illinois. 

We talk about business quite a bit. We can't help but envy wealthy wineries who have separation between making wine and running the business. For boutique wineries like Smith Story, every vineyard row matters as it turns into a bottle and a case. Every light we turn on in the morning in the tasting room, every time we fill up our gas tank to check vineyards, we think of how we can maximize or minimize our costs and expenses. Shipping don't even get us started on the cost of shipping wine these days, it's close to highway robbery happening. 

It's all quite exhausting really. If it weren't for you enjoying our wines and the winery/cellar full of new wines to nurture we just don't know if all of this would matter. Oh but it does for us to keep growing and exceeding expectations of wine drinkers all over the world.

If you haven't opened a bottle of Smith Story lately or visited us, please do these remaining days of the year.  2024, the new clock starts in less than four days. We are ready, we're shooting for the moon, thanks for being along for the ride. A ride the promises to be delicious. 

Happy New Year! 

 - Ali & Eric 

December 26, 2023

Special Smith Story Holiday Hours:
Tasting Room is Open December 26-NYE
Website is open 24/7

Good Morning from cozy Healdsburg. 

Wrapping up the year with gratitude after big accomplishments for our family winery 2023. If you are reading this, our first thank you goes directly to you. We began 2023 with the mission of taking care of our customers and fans with all our might.

The wines speak for themselves, but you, you have made such a difference and helped us grow this year once again. 2024 is going to be a BLAST together with new wines releasing and all that Smith Story Wine Cellars has planned. You've visited us here in Healdsburg from nearly every single state in America and few foreign countries as well. We are so honored. 

What Smith Story Wines did you enjoy most this year? 
1) Smith Story Pinot Noir - both Helluva and The Boonies from our beloved Anderson Valley. A new Pinot Noir from the dear Filigreen Farm is among the Spring 2024 release. 

2) Smith Story Cabernet Sauvignon, Pickberry Vineyard - both 2017 library release and 2019. Take advantage of availability now, the next Pickberry will not be available for another two years, the 2023 vintage is magical from this legendary Sonoma Mountain vineyard. 

3) Smith Story Sauvignon Blanc - crushed it once again. Spring 2024 will bring a new twist to our SavvyB release, we are so excited to share this with you all! 

Don't forget your Smith Story Sparkling Brut for NYE and for Gifting too. It was fabulous with our traditional Christmas Eve dungeness crab! 
 
Details on each wine and to purchase

Big press about Smith Story Wine Cellars and our dear Lord Sandwich 

Lord Sandwich (SandwichtheDoodle on Instagram) was born 2 years before our first harvest and has truly been the most consistent character in our lives and continues to help us give back in a simply and fun loving way. 

All those hours back in Austin while standing in the downtown WholeFoods demo'ing wines, I watched this little shelf placement of Toms shoes grow into a section and end cap of products with meaning. 

Social entrepreneurship by Toms inspired me to start Socks for Sandwich. Giving back brings me the greatest joy. Going into 2024, we are shooting for the moon and the stars seem to be finally aligned to achieve success Eric and I have always imagined. 

We're working hard to bottle a few thousand new releases by Spring 2024, we'll need some real help to do so though. The article in the Press Democrat outlines our 2024 opportunities a bit too.  - Ali