Year and degree of graduation:
1998, B.S. Fermentation Science, UC Davis Department of Viticulture & Enology
1998, B.A. Spanish, UC Davis College of Letters and Sciences
2010, M.B.A., UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Current job title/company:
Vice President Winemaking and Partner, Plata Wine Partners
What have you been up to since you graduated?
After I graduated, I started working my way up the winemaking ladder at Bonny Doon Vineyard, helping Randall Grahm grow the company to over half a million cases. I then spent a memorable season working with Bodegas Salentein in Mendoza, Argentina, and in 2005, my husband Chris Purdy and I returned to Napa where I helped found Plata Wine Partners. Plata is the winemaking arm and sister company of Silverado Nuveen Natural Capital, which owns and farms over 20,000 acres of sustainable vineyards in Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast. Plata’s small but amazing team produces over half a million cases annually, focusing on custom brands and private labels for clients like international retailers, distributors and hotel groups. I’m proud to report I’ve got two rockstar UC Davis V & E grads on my team: Winemaker Stacy Vogel and Assistant Winemaker Rebecca Chowaiki. There’s no rule you have to be an Aggie to work at Plata; they just naturally rose to the top.
Do you feel your UC Davis experience benefitted your career?
I simply wouldn’t be where I am without my degrees and experience at UC Davis, across multiple departments and colleges. UC Davis V & E grounded me in grape growing and winemaking and the professors were (and are!) amazing mentors and friends. Getting my Spanish degree has helped me better communicate at work and in life, and graduating with my M.B.A. in 2010 gave me the business skills needed to grow Plata today and into the future.
What is the most rewarding part of being in the industry/your job?
“Winemaking Begins With People” as one of my mentors, Winemaker Don Blackburn, often said. There’s nothing better than connecting with the people I’ve met along my journey. This is a caring and supportive industry where people treat their co-workers, customers and even the competition as neighbors and friends. I also love making great AVA-driven wines affordable and accessible. Nothing brings a smile to my face more than knowing that with every bottle Plata is sharing a little piece of California sunshine with someone halfway across the country.
What are some of the most difficult challenges you have faced in the grape or wine industry?
Even though we work with a consistent set of vineyards from Oakville and Carneros to Santa Barbara, harvests can still be incredibly different year to year. Heat spikes, drought, frosts and wildfires always keep things interesting, keep you on your toes and keep you learning.
Is there anything you would like to share with current UCD V & E students?
The ability to pivot and to embrace change will always serve you well. Not only will it help you weather what Mother Nature sends you, it’ll make you better able to adapt to the twists, turns and trends of the modern wine industry. Basic business skills like learning how to read financial documents will help you have a seat at the table with upper management, and knowing about how wine is sold will help buyers and distributors take you more seriously out in the marketplace. Learning about leadership and teamwork is important because both boutique and large wineries need folks with those skills.
How has the pandemic affected you?
I’ll never forget the importance of a supportive network of family, colleagues, and community groups in difficult times. That was critical in helping our families and businesses get through it as best we could.
What is one unique thing about you?
I’m a superfan of the UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education/V & E Wine Marketing Course. I took the course as a student, TA’d it the following year, and now am Co-Lead Instructor along with Theresa Sanchez. It’s an honor and a privilege to follow in the footsteps of Viticulture & Enology professors like Dr. Jim Lapsley and V & E Alumnus David Stevens who developed the course to teach V & E and international students and industry professionals about the business of selling and marketing wine. Never stop learning!