The second of the 3 reasons for my ll Part Post-Harvest Letter is to apologize. Yes, you are owed an apology. Seriously.
In the excitement of launching stars & dust in 2020 I barreled head first into this new adventure without much thought about the challenges I would face, soon finding myself pretty (ok, very) overwhelmed.
I think, sort of like childbirth explained to me by some of the mega brave women who are mothers in my life, I had temporarily “forgotten” just how difficult it was (and how much younger I was then!) and how many hours I had to eat, sleep and breathe the former wine project I helped create.
And in those throws of overwhelm instead of staying in communicado with my tribe with regular emails, newsletters, etc., I retreated to the background to try and “tame” the business a bit before I allowed myself to “re-emerge” and be “heard from” — but 2022 has been full of teaching moments for me so, LESSON LEARNED!
Your interest and support is truly treasured and onward I very much look forward to better keeping you apprised of both the highs and the lows that are the craziness and truth of bootstrapping a super small, solo run, female owned wine business. I feel like I have been remiss in assuming you’d only want to hear about the shiny rainbows and get to see some of the occasional unicorns. And for that you have my sincerest apology.
Perhaps given that simply being authentic and expressive of their origins (no matter what) is all I really expect of any given wine in the cellar, maybe, just maybe it’s just as good a rule of thumb for myself. Apparently, #thisis40.
Last but not least, I am beyond excited to get to the 3rd and final reason for my Post-Harvest Letter;
You are the very 1st to know that our 1st ever Formal Fall Release
will ALAS be Open and Live VERY SOON
Expect an email in the coming days!
(ps: just in time for a super duper cozy, wine filled Halloween Weekend!)
And, the release will remain open through 11/15, with wine shipments starting Monday 11/7
A brand spanking new website awaits that ps: has been in the works for over two years now (yes, two years!)! After much time and love (and me fussing over it far too long) it finally has most of its finishing touches on it and is ready for perusal (and also for (always) treasured feedback from friends!). It is truly built for YOU so if you have suggestions and/or things you like or dislike please feel free to share them openly as your positive experience with the site is very important to me!
As for the NEW WINES!
I am so flipping excited about the deliciousness and caliber of the 2021 wines and hope they speak to you in such a way that you can’t help but want to grab/snag some bottles to explore this Fall and as we head into the cozy holiday season!
NOTE: I managed to hold back a small amount of the inaugural vintage 2020 wines this Summer for our early supporters and you will see them in your allocations *we do only have a few cases these wines – and they will go fast!*
If you have any questions at all about the Fall Release, becoming a part of the s&d family via the customizable wine club and/or anything else (wine related or not!) please fire away!
I am warmly reachable anytime directly at nikki@starsanddustwines.com or (within reasonable hours 😉 by text/phone (949) 355-5995.
Details on the Release wines, Allocations and Shipping FAQ’s will be in a bullet point email in your inbox in coming days!
Sending all of my gratitude to you; whether you have come aboard the wine club and swooped into the WOODSTOCK CIRCLE, whether we have known one another from times past or whether you literally just joined the Mailing List — I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming along for the ride and for letting me be a part of your lives through my wines. It’s a true gift and what keeps me going.
Cheers and all my thanks!
Nik
PS: As promised the 2022 Harvest according to Nik Cliff Notes!
We had a super long, wonderfully stubborn harvest that kicked off fast and furious followed by a serious lull and then one last major push last week for our last pick (the über cool climate Sta. Rita Hills Grenache) and after a few beautiful bumper crop years mother nature did what she must and gave us a leaner crop this vintage. More on the challenging meets beautiful 2022 Harvest in your upcoming s&d seasonal newsletter!
