Career Change Pt 2
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. 70-year-old Roger Lemstrom got into the wine business just eight years ago when he purchased a vineyard in Milton Freewater, Oregon that he calls Los Rocosos.
And as a volunteer at the local Fire Department, a member of the local Elks Club and Chamber of Commerce, Lemstrom says he’s jumped into his new community with both feet …
LEMSTROM … “It’s helped me immensely in terms of
operations. And I’m not an isolated winery that nobody knows anything about.”
As for his Los Rocosos wines, Lemstrom says he does it all …
LEMSTROM … “When you get down to my level, you know the mom-and-pop operations, the small guys that pay attention. And there’s a French word called vigneron (vin-YER-on). A vigneron is a guy who not only grows the grapes, but he makes the wine and he’s got his fingers in everything. I’m that guy.”
And his commitment, seems to be paying off …
LEMSTROM … “When I walk away with double golds and platinums from the Sip Magazine Food and Wine Competition in Seattle, beating out 400 other wineries in wine tasting, my wines medal.”
And that, Lemstrom says has been rewarding …
LEMSTROM … “You walk away with that knowing, okay, my piers recognize my value-added ag product as something that’s good.”
Go to www.losrocosos.com to learn more about Roger’s wines.
