Casa Parisi Read online

  Lucia stepped back. "I'm sorry for staring at you. For some reason you don't look the way I expected you would. I'm not sure exactly what I expected, but--well, never mind. Please come in. And call me Lucia, will you?"

  "I will if you want me to." Juliet walked past Lucia into the barn.

  "I do. Did you have any trouble finding us?"

  "No. I knew where you were. Word travels fast around here, especially when a new winery opens. I even drove by it once or twice to take a look."

  "I've done that myself, not to look at my own winery of course," Lucia appeared more nervous than Juliet felt. "You know what I mean. All the winery owners want to know what the other wineries are doing."

  "They do." Juliet rotated her head in every direction. The ambiance inside the barn was perfect for a winery. The peaked ceiling was comprised of exposed beams and all the walls were constructed from old planks of wood. Display racks filled with wine bottles lined the walls near the tasting bar and sales area. On the other side she could see a gift shop and in the middle a hallway that led to several other rooms. "I heard that this was one of the historic barn restorations. Is that true?"

  "Yes, it's an 1820's barn from upstate New York."

  "So, it was moved here," Juliet said, not needing confirmation. "It's spectacular. I read a lot about the barn restoration project in the papers. One of the wineries on Seneca has one and I've been admiring it for some time. I think this barn is even nicer. It must bring in a lot of visitors."

  "It does and that's why we wanted one, besides wanting to preserve it. The barn was moved here piece by piece and reassembled in its original form. Any parts they couldn't restore were recreated to look like they would have originally by using aged barn wood from another source. I was amazed by how talented the craftsmen were."

  "Don't you wonder how someone learns to do something like that?"

  "It takes special skills and a real dedication to preservation."

  "They have to love what they're doing," Juliet said. "It would be a shame to let all those beautiful barns crumble to the ground."

  "I couldn't agree more."

  That subject having been thoroughly discussed for now, Juliet introduced a new one. "Your flower gardens are beautiful. Did you plant them yourself?"

  "I wish I could say I did, but we hired a landscaper. Too much work." Lucia smiled. "Before we do anything else I want to introduce you to Luke. He's waiting for us." She took Juliet to the tasting bar where Luke was working. A broad smile lit up his face when he saw them approaching.

  "Luke Parisi, this is Juliet Renard," Lucia said.

  "It's great to meet you." Luke offered his hand and shook Juliet's with unreserved enthusiasm. "Welcome to Casa Parisi Vineyards."

  "It's great to be here." Juliet instantly had a good feeling about Luke Parisi. He was rugged and handsome by anyone's definition and he had an openness that made you want to get to know him. If first impressions counted for anything, she believed she would get along famously with him. Lucia seemed friendly, but cautious and reserved whereas Luke was quite the opposite.

  "We're going to my office so we can talk," Lucia said to Luke.

  "Stop and see me again before you leave, Miss Renard," Luke said.

  Juliet nodded and followed Lucia to her office in the back of the barn.

  ONCE INSIDE THE office, Lucia took the seat behind her desk and gestured to Juliet to take the chair across from her. "Please make yourself comfortable."

  Juliet sat down and crossed her legs. "I was really excited when Carolyn told me you were looking for a winemaker."

  "Carolyn and I are friends from way back and I respect her opinion. I went to her hoping she could recommend someone and she suggested I call you. What she told me about you was enough to spark my interest."

  "What she told me about you interested me as well."

  Lucia rested her elbows on her desk. "Then let's talk."

  "Here's a copy of my current résumé." Juliet pulled some typed pages out of a large manila envelope and placed it on Lucia's desk.

  Lucia leafed through it. "Carolyn told me about your educational background and I certainly don't have any issues with that. I'm a Cornell graduate myself only I got my undergraduate and graduate degrees in business."

  "That has to help when you own a winery." Juliet realized she had stated the obvious and she wouldn't have if she hadn't have been so nervous.

  Lucia didn't seem to notice. "Without a doubt and having ten years of experience in marketing doesn't hurt, either." She put the résumé down and directed the conversation back to Juliet. "I'll read this more carefully later on. Why don't you begin by telling me more about yourself?"

  "I'm French Canadian, originally from Montreal. After I graduated I went to live in France where I completed an internship in the Burgundy region. When that ended I took a position as an assistant winemaker near Avignon. Then, because I had learned as much as I cared to in France, I moved to New Zealand where I worked as an assistant winemaker on the North Island in the Hawke's Bay region."

  "At what winery?"

  "Twisted Root Cellars. I don't know if you've heard of them. It's a small winery, but they're quite well-known for the quality of their wines."

  "I've read about them. They're well-respected," Lucia said. "Please continue."

  "After I left New Zealand, I moved to Australia and for the next two years I took another job as an assistant winemaker at a much larger winery. I wasn't job-hopping. I had a master plan."

  "Tell me about your plan."

  "I wanted to learn a variety of winemaking techniques. I was convinced doing that would someday make me a better winemaker. Every experience I had gave me additional skills I could use in the future. When I returned to the states, I spent another year working with a few winemakers in California. They were smaller wineries like yours."

  "I don't know much about winemaking in France, New Zealand, or any of the places you've been to. Luke has been doing the winemaking since we opened and I still have a great deal to learn. He explained the basics and I've read about it, but mostly I focus on keeping up with trends in the winemaking industry. Can you tell me a little about what winemaking was like in those places?"

  Juliet took a moment to formulate her response. "In France, every detail of making wine is regulated by laws and it's extremely formulaic. Here, the laws allow an enormous amount of creative freedom and that's important to me. New Zealand is a beautiful place and they make exceptional wines, but I wouldn't want to live there. Not because it isn't nice but because it isn't home to me. The Australians make fruit-forward wines that are bold and lush in character. Their wines are outgoing and down to earth like the Aussies themselves. Some wine connoisseurs say Australian wines lack the elegance, restraint and refinement so prevalent in European wines."

  "Is that a bad thing?" Lucia asked.

  "Not in my opinion. The Australians make good quality, moderately priced wines that do well on the market. The issue for me was that the entire winemaking process was automated. It was mass production and not the hands-on style that I prefer."

  "What made you decide to come back to this area?" Lucia asked. "You could have been a winemaker anywhere in the world."

  "I never planned on staying in those countries." Juliet paused. She wanted Lucia to know how much the Finger Lakes meant to her without sounding overly dramatic. In the end she chose to be honest and speak from her heart. "When I was a student at Cornell, I knew I would end up here. I love the quiet beauty of this area, the peacefulness. It speaks to my soul and I feel as though it's a part of me. I belong here, I always have, and I can't explain it any better than that."

  "No need to. I feel the same way," Lucia said.

  "I'm the sort of person who needs to work in a small, independent winery. I prefer to have an intimate relationship with the winemaking process as well as with the winery and its owners. Even though I don't own the winery, it matters to me that my wines bear my personal signature, my personal sty
le."

  "Tell me more about your personal style," Lucia said.

  "I'd say it was fresh, innovative, and creative. I keep up with the latest trends and I'm not afraid to step outside the box and try something new. At the same time I'm firmly rooted in a classical foundation."

  "Those are all things we're looking for," Lucia said. "And I love your French accent. I assume you're fluent in French?"

  "Yes, I am. My parents spoke French and English, but they insisted we speak French in our home so we would become proficient in our native tongue. I'm aware my accent is still pretty heavy. I can't seem to get rid of it."

  "Don't even try to. I find it utterly enchanting."

  "Merci. Parlez-vous francais?"

  "If you asked me if I speak French, the answer is no."

  "At this point, I automatically think and speak in English unless I'm upset or nervous and then I have been known to revert back to French. And I usually do all my cursing in French. The words fly right out of my mouth." Juliet swept her hand from her mouth to the space in front of her as she said that.

  "Being able to swear in another language comes in handy. I have a choice selection of Italian curse words I use when the occasion calls for it. Sometimes the same words said in English aren't nearly as gratifying."

  Juliet laughed quietly. "It's good to have a wide range of both."

  Lucia sat forward in her chair and leaned her elbows on her desk indicating that the next question held great significance. "Why are you leaving your present position?"

  "I loved working at Speckled Toad. It's just that I'm more than ready to be a head winemaker and I would never have a chance to become one there since the owner is the head winemaker. And it's more than that. I want to work for a winery that will give me the freedom to use my skills and talents."

  "What does that mean to you?" Lucia asked.

  "I'd like to experiment with new grape varieties and make some innovative wines in addition to the established standards that any winery should offer." Juliet wondered if her ambitions would prove contrary to Lucia and Luke Parisi's goals. If they did she'd have to search for a position elsewhere. When Lucia didn't respond right away, Juliet felt she needed to elaborate. "I feel I have a lot to offer and I feel strongly about being able to use my abilities."

  "Are you saying you don't want to be held back or tightly controlled?"

  "I can't tolerate having my creativity stifled," Juliet answered honestly. "I feel it's only fair to make that clear from the start."

  "You won't have that problem here and while we're making things clear, I'd like you to know that our expectations are the same as yours. We're looking for an innovative and creative winemaker." Lucia leaned back in her swivel chair. "You told me how you feel about this area, but I'd like to know why you want to be a winemaker here as opposed to somewhere else."

  "This winemaking region is young and bursting with potential. It's like the Sonoma Valley was forty or fifty years ago. I'm convinced that the day will come when we'll be considered one of the world's premier wine producers and I find it challenging to be one of the pioneers."

  Lucia sat up and leaned on the desk. "What do you see in our future?"

  "We'll continue making wines from the native grape varieties grown here for over a hundred years as well as from the French-American hybrids we've developed. Those are the wines that characterize this region. We also need to make world class wines and that means we have to either succeed at growing European grape varieties or we have to come up with new varieties that will grow in our climate. It tests our abilities but I think we can do it. All you have to do is tell me something can't be done and I'll do whatever I can to prove you wrong."

  "I admire that kind of tenacity," Lucia said.

  "I also believe we need to emphasize our strengths," Juliet went on. "We're capable of making superior sparkling wines and we should make more of them. We should also produce more of the German style wines like rieslings and gewürztraminers. Our climatic conditions are very similar to Germany's and that means we can successfully grow those varieties and make world-class wines from them."

  Lucia appeared pleased by Juliet's remarks. "Anything else you care to add?"

  "We can make far better red wines than we do now."

  "Luke says the same thing." Lucia sat back in her chair again. "We make all of our wines from the grapes we grow. Luke manages the vineyards so he'll be the best one to tell you what he's done so far. This coming harvest is going to be our biggest yet and the reason you're here is because we need someone with skill and vision to turn our precious crop into superior wines."

  Everything Juliet was hearing made her more convinced that this winery was the one for her. The Parisis represented all the things she was searching for. "No winery can succeed without an expert winemaker and I don't say that to promote myself."

  "We agree. That's why we need someone like you," Lucia said. "We'd rely heavily on your expertise, but we'd be a team. Our goals would have to be compatible."

  "I have no problem with that," Juliet said. She let her reply sink in and then she said something she thought Lucia might enjoy. "Did you know the French believe geography and nature make the wine? In the Burgundy region, they have a saying that goes like this, 'Laissez le vin de se faire.'" It means, 'let the wine make itself.' What they mean is that the wine is made on the vine. That means as your winemaker I'd merely be assisting your grapes to become the best wine they can be."

  "You're being modest," Lucia said.

  "Not really, because it's all about the grapes," Juliet said. "Say you make the same burgundy wine every year and one year it's the best you've ever made. It could have been the amount of rain that fell that year or how much sunshine you had or a variation in the soil that made that wine taste better than the wines from other years. People have been making wines for thousands of years, long before they knew about fermentation, long before wineries had labs and long before it ever became part of a college curriculum."

  "I never thought of it that way."

  Juliet leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. The interview was going well and her nerves had settled down. "Here's another of my favorite French sayings. 'The mark of a successful winery is the owner's footprints in the vineyards.'"

  "That requires no explanation." Lucia grimaced. "And I'm ashamed to say you won't find my footprints in my vineyards. I've only been out there once or twice and I don't pay much attention to what goes on out there."

  "I didn't mean to imply--" Juliet feared that she might have said the wrong thing, but Lucia did not appear offended in any way.

  "I should get out there more often."

  "You might want to do that, but the saying applies to me more than it does to you. It originated because traditionally, the owner was also the winemaker and it meant that the winemaker has to know what's going on in the vineyards. That's how we determine when the grapes should be picked and what wines to make from them."

  "I'm glad you brought that up," Lucia said. "Luke wants to hire someone who'd be willing to be involved in growing the grapes. Your primary responsibility would be to make the wine, but we'd expect your expertise in the vineyards as well."

  "That's what I'm looking for," Juliet said. "And don't let my appearance fool you. I'm stronger than I look and I'm not afraid of hard work."

  "I'm sure you're not." Lucia stared at Juliet as if she were assessing her appearance. Lucia's gaze traveled the length of Juliet's body before coming back to her eyes without revealing what she might be thinking.

  "One more question," Lucia continued. "We have seventy-five acres of land, fifty acres with mature vines on them and twenty acres of new vines. I'd like you and Luke to decide what to plant in the other five acres and in five or six years, I'd like to produce the amount of wine we're capable of producing based on our acreage. It would please us to no end to have twenty to twenty-five premium wines for sale by then. Do you think you can accomplish that for us?"

  "I can and
I will." Juliet let her promise hang suspended between them for the next few seconds. "You want a successful winery and I want to work in one."

  Lucia cleared her throat and said, "As far as I'm concerned you're the person we're looking for." She picked up a couple of typed pages and handed them to Juliet. "Take a few minutes to read over this salary and benefits package."

  Juliet smiled as she read an offer that far exceeded her expectations. At last she was going to be rewarded for all her years of hard work. She wanted to jump at Lucia's offer, but the voice of reason warned her to refrain from acting rashly. She owed it to herself to see the rest of the winery before she made a decision. "This is more than generous."

  "I'm sure you'll prove yourself worth every penny," Lucia said. "Do you have any questions or concerns?"

  "What about my work schedule?"

  "I'll leave that up to you. You know what you have to do and I'm not interested in keeping track of you." Lucia stood up. "If there's nothing else right now, why don't I show you around?"

  Chapter Four

  ONCE THEY WERE outdoors, Lucia pointed to a large industrial building. "Let's start with the winemaking facility. It's over there." The tour and the rest of the interview were solely for Juliet's benefit, not her own. Before they'd even exited her office Lucia had made up her mind that she wanted to hire Juliet. She'd heard all she needed to hear and she saw no reason to interview any other candidates unless Juliet refused to take the position. Juliet was the perfect choice for them in more ways than one and interviewing other winemakers wasn't going to change that.

  Lucia liked everything about Juliet, her love for her chosen vocation, the way she presented herself, her well thought out plans and goals, and most of all, her energy and determination. Her accent didn't hurt, either, or the way she formed her sentences or the way her eyes lit up when she recited one of her enchanting wine adages.