"In Their Own Words"
Kathryn Hall

Winemaker, mother, lawyer, diplomat, art lover, political junkie, social activist and grape grower's daughter, Kathryn Hall defies typecasting. This charismatic and personable achiever has traveled paths and notched experiences that bucket lists can be proud of. Now she, and husband Craig are at the helm of one Napa Valley’s most exciting and talked-about sagas—the creation of HALL Wines, ascending to powerhouse status with the aid of a driven team, committed culture, defined strategy and grand gesture.

On her eclectic background
I was born in the Bay Area and moved to Mendocino wine country as a child.  My father was a grape-grower and that’s where my love for this life began. As a child of good Irish stock, I can never remember when we didn’t have wine at the table. I come from a comfortable background, went to school in this area and then to boarding school in Switzerland.  I came back for law school, practiced in the Bay Area before moving to Texas to continue practicing law and working in the corporate sector, but with the ultimate intention of going on to Washington, D.C., because of my love of politics. In Texas, I fell in love, had two babies, and stayed.  I was appointed Ambassador to Austria, and after four years came straight back to wine country. Although I still go back and forth between Texas and California, it is wonderful to be back home in the wine country where I belong.

On her driving force
My top priority has always been “family first!” After that, it’s been a matter of chasing whatever makes my heart sing. Business-wise, my greatest satisfaction has been in birthing HALL Wines and shepherding it through the difficult infant years. It’s like being an observer of and participant in the life of this wonderful creature that grows before your eyes. I can’t wait to come to work each day.

On our brands
SENZA, our B&B, is located in Napa. We have approximately 500 acres under vine in various regions producing 120,000 cases for HALL and our Pinot Noir brand, WALT. We’ve positioned our brands at the premium level. HALL wines are Bordeaux varietals, principally Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. WALT wines are Burgundy varietals and consequently tend to be less expensive than HALL.

Our unique ownership structure provides us with enormous leverage. Currently we have 600 partners who are investors in the winery, providing needed financing when the recession hit us hard in 2008 and 2009. In addition to difficulties resulting from the economy, we were in the middle of construction.  When Craig was in his 20s, he would create partnerships for various real estate investments. He said, “Why don’t we look at raising money this way?  We’ll bring in partners.”  We raised the money, but the relationships we’ve developed with those partners is even more valuable to us than the money they invested.

On who we are and want to be
Although we’re still in formation stage, the core of who we are has now been established.  We’re committed to making the best quality wine that we’re capable of. We want to listen, learn and be instructive.  We don’t want to be stuck in traditional ways. We’ll take advantage of tradition, but we must experiment. We want to be hospitable, not snobby.  We want to be organic, in how we grow the grapes and in how we interact with people.  

On why we’ve been successful
We’re a team. Our team members are committed to quality and they’re hard workers.  They take risks, and we back them.  If you’re going to manage a team and you want them to be risk-takers, then let them take risks.

And we’re risk-takers. The biggest risk we took was in 2007 with the St. Helena winery.  The design was delayed.  We couldn’t find a material to construct the roof. And while we were trying to figure that out, the recession hit. It was a perfect storm.  We built it never the less, and it was absolutely the right decision.

On the love of art
We showcase art because it’s is a wonderful addition to the property, and it enhances the experience.  When you visit, you’re getting to know us through the art and the role that it plays in our lives. Our offices are private and the public never sees them, but we have fabulous art in every one of those rooms.  It’s not there for show.

I love Bunny Foo Foo. He’s beautiful and he gives in every respect. When I drive to work every morning, he makes me smile, and I think he makes others smile as well. He’s so representative of who we are as a winery.  He’s playful, and in this business you never want to take yourself too seriously.  We should be about having a good time.  You’ll notice that we put a reindeer hat on him at Christmas and a flag in his hand on the 4th of July.  So there’s a sense of humor about him.  Even the fact that some people love him and others don’t is typical of the Valley.  After all, this is a community with great diversity of opinion.  

On a decade from now
My hope is that HALL and WALT brands are known widely in the U.S. and around the world – and that they still possess that family tie.  I believe that this business is made for family.

We won’t be acquired. Ever!  There is no exit strategy here.

We will know and respect our customers. We will know what wines they like.  When they contact us, whether online, by phone, or by winery visit, we are going to know who they are and we’re going to respond to them with the authenticity that they deserve. And naturally, the quality of our wines will never stop getting better.

On her mentors in life
Somebody who was very important in my life was my boss when I was starting out, Milt Kegley.  I was Assistant City Attorney, and had just gone to work at Safeway.  It was difficult. There were barriers—dealing with men who didn’t want you in the door, and women whose opportunities had been limited when they were your age.  Milt dealt with me as he did with every other person on his staff (who were men).  He just dealt with me based on ability.  And it was just wonderful. He was out of the mold for those days.

In the wine business, it’s Bob and Margrit Mondavi.  No question.  Because they recognized that it’s not about one winery, it’s about all of us collectively; that the most important thing any of our businesses has is each other; that our competition is global – not national.  They understood that this is not just wine we’re selling; it’s about offering an experience.  They understood the value of personal contact and taking personal pride in what you do.  And, by the way, many of our fabulous team members are ex-Mondavi people. 
 

This is the first in an in-depth interview series featuring wine industry notables and trend setters who are redefining the business. The interviews were conducted by Alf Nucifora, founder of Leading Wineries of Napa and chairman of The Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco.

Next month: Josh Phelps

Leading Wineries of Napa is an exclusive and independent network of premium wineries and vineyards offering specifically curated wine country experiences chosen by Napa-based experts who possess an intimate knowledge of and deep experience with Napa and its world-famous wines. The featured experiences have been rigorously selected based on their uniqueness, superior value and personal interaction with the winery and its staff.

For more information visit LWNapa.com, call 415-729-0145 or email info@LWNapa.com