A Chic Wine Country Couple’s Passion for Farming Sustainably

Prior to moving to Paso permanently we had a home on Lake Nacimiento for many years. The more time we spent in the area, the more we knew this is where we wanted to end up. It’s a tight-knit community that shares an appreciation for the art of winemaking, farm to table fare, and a slow paced laid back atmosphere. We joined the Villa Creek wine club over 15 years ago. I remember observing JoAnn Cherry many years ago at the former Artisan Restaurant. I thought she epitomized the Paso Young Winemaker look, casual but chic, without trying too hard. We have gotten to know JoAnn and Cris more over the years and have an appreciation for what they are trying to do and how they are going about it. I knew I wanted to interview them for Ageless Style if I could “twist their arms”. I hope you will enjoy A Chic Wine Country Couple’s Passion for Farming Sustainably.

Tell us a bit about yourselves – your upbringing, where and how you met, and how you landed in the wine industry. 

We were both Southern California kids. We met the first day of school at the University of San Diego and were always friends but never single at the same time until 10 years after graduation. We found each other and the rest is history. Cris’s family had restaurants in Vail and then in San Diego. While he was exploring wine from his family’s restaurant, I was in LA working in advertising and design. There was a wine shop across from my office that hosted wine tastings. The manager was a real enthusiast. That’s where I picked up the wine bug. Though we loved San Diego, we wanted to move north to a wine region and Paso Robles was it. As wine enthusiasts, we immediately befriended growers and winemakers and realized we could grow grapes and make wine too. The door was wide open back then.

You both moved to Paso Robles in 1996, excited to make a name for yourselves in the world of food and wine and full of passion for the industry. What made you decide on Paso Robles instead of other popular wine regions in California? 

We were intrigued by the ground floor opportunity to invest in Paso Robles. In 1996 there were only a handful of restaurants downtown and we could feel the tremendous potential. Napa and Sonoma were way out of our price range as a young couple with two small kids.

You were one of the pioneers in bringing great food and wine together in Paso. Villa Creek is a restaurant missed by many.  Do you miss the restaurant business?

We both miss the great food and social opportunities our restaurant provided. More than a handful of friendships were made and cemented over the margaritas at Villa Creek. Running a restaurant is no easy task so we are happy to be done with that part. 

Paso Robles has become a hotspot for great wine in recent years and an area we all know and love. What do you think is unique about the area that separates it from other wine regions?

Paso offers tremendous variety. The region is vast and the many microclimates and soil types allow for a lot of variety in the wines from this region. You can still pop into a cellar and are likely to bump into an owner or winemaker. In recent years we have seen some of the family owned projects get gobbled up by wine conglomerates but there are still plenty of high quality little guys around. There are also many beautiful non-wine-related things to do. The coast offers beautiful pristine beaches and lots of hikes. We have golf courses, great cycling, equestrian centers and we even have a castle.

Before starting your business in Paso Robles, you traveled the globe and collected wines from around the world. Share with us some of your most memorable stories from your travels along with some of your favorite international wines. 

When our kids, Henri and Camille, were three and five we found some cheap tickets to France so we packed up the kids and went to Paris and then down to the south. We visited Louis Barroul from Chateau St. Cosme who was, and is still, one of our favorite Grenache producers in the world. We had an amazing lunch in the town of Gigondas and visited his cellar where the Romans made wine. He was so sweet and kept our kids entertained. Cris has visited him a couple of times since. Visiting the northern Rhône several years later was quite memorable. We were invited to pour at a festival in Chateaunuef du Pape. We landed a few days early so we could travel a bit. It was Easter week and many of the restaurants were closed but we shared Easter dinner with Yves Gangloff and his kids in Ampuis. He produces a beautiful Condriue (Viognier). We then headed north to St. Joseph and sampled barrels in the cellar of Pierre and Jean Gonon, makers of our favorite Syrahs and Rhône Whites. And then there was Spain! So much. So good. We visited Priorat and enjoyed the extreme slopes and beautiful vistas with some of the best Grenache on the planet. Daphne Glorian of Clos Erasmus and Clos Terrasses, and Ester Nin of Nin-Ortiz are two exceptional producers whose wines we enjoyed. The food in Spain is the best.

Villa Creek produces beautiful reds and whites.  Which of your wines do you think is tasting really well right now?

Though we are more of a red wine house, we are super excited about the Clairette Blanche coming off the property. It is such a delicious wine that really hits all the marks…texture, fruit, aromatics. It is probably the most sought after in our MAHA line-up. Even red wine drinkers are clamoring for it. Our new release of MAHA Estate Backlit is sublime.  The Syrah off our estate is coming into its own and is the main grape in this blend. We started producing a carbonic Grenache a few years ago called SOuL. It’s light, fresh and delicious. 

Tell us about being married to your business partner. What have you learned throughout this journey as your business has grown? How do you keep both your marriage and your work relationship strong?

As anyone who is married knows, marriage is not always a cake walk. Bring a family biz into the picture and it doubles the challenge. We have known each other for so long we have really grown up together. Fortunately we share the same goals and dreams for our business and our lives.Being in sync that way makes things easier. We share a love for travel, skiing, cycling and cooking but we also have our differences. He’s a task master. I’m a flighty creative. That dynamic can be bumpy but also very complementary.  Recently we have been traveling separately and making our own individual experiences. It’s important to have that independence and alone time to reflect. It’s very healthy.

Give us a snapshot of a normal day for you. Are you a night owl, an early riser, or both?

I’m both. Haha. I don’t like to sleep but the older I get I realize how important it is for my body. I’ve been experimenting with different routines. Compromising on both ends seems to work best. In bed at 10. Lights out by 11. Wake up at 6 or 7. I’m trying to curb my night owl tendencies. In an ideal scenario, I wake up with the sun, meditate, spend some time in the garden, then work on whatever winery projects I have. I try to fit a workout in as a break from sitting at my desk. A peloton or road bike ride and pilates or yoga are ideal. At the moment I’m populating our new website with content. I try to fit in a lunch or walk with friends every few days too. Cris is very routine in that he falls asleep at 9 or 10 and wakes up at 6. He usually spends the first few hours of the morning on emails and bills then heads down to the winery.  

How has the industry changed since 1996? How do you keep that boutique wine feeling as you continue to grow?

As we mentioned before there are more and more conglomerates buying up large and small brands, and this is happening all over the world. They have the sales teams in place and purchasing power so it’s easier for them to turn a profit in a business where margins are pretty small. The wine industry in Paso Robles is certainly victim to that as well. Those smaller brands you have grown to love might not be the same quality they once were when they were owner, farmer, winemaker operated.

Share with us your passion for organic farming and sustainability and why this means so much to you?

Ahhh. Our favorite subject. Consumers have really embraced the concept of eating organically. Many of us are prioritizing buying organic when we go to the grocery store or the farmers market. Since we bought this land in 2004, farming organically has been a priority for us, initially for the health of the planet, our children, our neighbors and ourselves but now that we are growing grapes, we realize the positive impact organic farming has on the wine quality. Our methods are all about soil health. We practice more than just organics. Through Biodynamic and regenerative farming practices we are constantly rebuilding our soils and our local ecosystem in the hopes of reversing some of the toxic effects of conventional agriculture. Our greatest hope is that this movement continues to grow and consumers look out for the organic seals when shopping. Not just on food but on wine as well. Our wines will soon bear the ROC seal in addition to the CCOF seal. ROC stands for Regenerative Organic Certified and incorporates not only organic and regenerative farming practices but fair labor practices as well.

You both enjoy cooking and cultivate an extensive garden. If you were pairing Villa Creek/Maha wines , what would the ideal food and wine pairing be for:

Wine Picnic: Poached Tuna catalan style, with garlic, pine nuts and lemon served over pasta, warm or room temp. MAHA Before Anyone Else, Clairette is the perfect pairing. Villa Creek Rousanne is also quite nice. 

Dinner: Lamb stew over polenta with kale salad pairs beautifully with our Garnacha. 

Tell us how you stay stylish yet practical? We live in a casual area but you two both look stylish every time I see you.

J: Vintage Levis are my favorite. Living on a farm they transition well. I can throw on some make-up and change from boots to nicer shoes, add a little jewelry and lipstick and go from farm to table (haha). Since I was a little girl I have been interested in fashion. Getting hand-me-downs from my neighbor, and going clothes shopping for school or for my birthday was always so exciting. I still love hand-me-downs though now I pick them up on the Real Real or Patagonia’s Worn Wear. Vintage pieces are key. Ulla Johnson also has a resale page on her website. It seems to be a growing trend with fashion brands these days as fast fashion, like conventional agriculture, becomes more frowned upon.

C: Interesting question. I feel that I am usually dressed like a dirt bag. On occasion I get the comment, “oh you dress up nicely”. I do like clothes and fashion. Style is a personal thing. If you feel good in what you are wearing that creates your style. In the end…keep it simple.

Favorite Accessories?

J: As far as accessories, I am a shoe fiend. That’s the hardest part of living in the country. Thankfully we paved our driveway a few years ago so I can wear my “investment shoes” directly to the car rather than wearing flip flops to the car and carrying my shoes. I collect vintage silk scarves. Always nice for dressing up a look. Hats are also a big one. I love a cool trucker cap for the beach, or hiking or if I didn’t have time to do my hair – which is just about every day. My favorites right now are Clare Vivier and Aviator Nation and of course our MAHA and Villa Creek hats. I have a few Sunbody wide brimmed straw hats for summer gardening and some beanies and felted wool hats for the winter when it’s cold and raining. If I have to cover up my messy hair indoors in a nicer setting, I prefer a beret or a 70’s style scarf.

Outside of wine, tell us about some of your hobbies. When you aren’t working, what are you doing?

J: I have way too many hobbies! I am an artist and create almost all of the labels for our wines. Lately I have been working in encaustic (beeswax and resin). For more immediate satisfaction, I like to take online figure drawing classes and paint with watercolors and acrylics. Gardening is more of a necessity than a hobby but I do get enjoyment out of it, especially my flower gardens. I like to keep my hands busy when traveling or watching tv so I took up knitting 4 years ago. Raising baby animals is another one. This year we had kittens and got a Healer puppy. Last year we lambed. There is something magical about watching something grow, whether it’s a garden or an animal. I’ve always been very physically active. Nowadays my workouts have mellowed somewhat to hiking, cycling, pilates and yoga and an occasional LaGree type pilates class. Cris and I enjoy cycling and skiing together.

C: Growing grapes and making wine enables me to be outside a lot. Other hobbies are cooking (duh), cycling, skiing, hiking and I am learning how to surf with JoAnn. Warmer water makes that easier that our chilly water here on the central coast. All of those tie in TRAVEL.

C: Trying to make time for the above mentioned hobbies. More than ever, it is important to shut down the work side of things and stop and smell the roses. Take that time!

Family is a big one for you. I know Camille is a big part of your business and Henri is exploring music.  Do you hope to have them continue your legacy one day?

Family is the most important thing to us. We built this business for our kids and hope that one day they will take the reigns. Both Camille and Henri have a knack for putting flavors together and for customer service and design. They have both worked harvest with other wineries and with us year after year so have a good understanding of the process. Camille is growing more and more into an owner type position as she learns all the different aspects of the business. Henri has a small wine brand focusing more on natural wines. He is working on his music and working full time at Patagonia which has always been a huge inspiration for us. I look forward to Henri and his partner Mari joining us up here if this is where their hearts take them.

If you could give your younger self any words of advice, what would they be?

J: Younger self. Follow your heart. Develop your passion.

C: Learn how to read a P&L and Balance Sheet. Have the ability to tell someone what you want without beating around the bush.

Share your words to live by. 

C: BE good, DO good!
You get what you give.
Keep your word.

J: These phrases have saved me on many occasions: 

Every day is a gift. 

You have to have downs to have up.

To accomplish great things, you must not only act, but also dream.

Fav follows:

C:

@kookslam- FUNNY.
@chedjoseandres- Amazing chef and humanitarian. Would love to enjoy a meal with him.
@shepardsfilms- Nathan Stuart living his best life in Baja.

J:

ART AND DESIGN: Kelly Wearstler, Pamela Shamshiri, Terramoto Landscape, BOF, Dezeen, est_living. Tmag
FASHION: Gabriela Heart, Carinne Roitfeld, Amy Smilovic, Beatrice Valenzuela and of course Cindy Hattersley!
FOOD: NYT, Cannellevanille,
FARM: Mamafarm (Isabella Rossalini), CCOF
OTHER: Henri Cherry, Camille Cherry, Maddox Meadery, Tablas Creek

The Cherry’s way of life seamlessly blends wine country style with a genuine passion for preserving the earth’s natural beauty—and affecting positive change organically and biodynamically – one glass of wine at a time. Thank you for reading A Chic Wine Country Couple’s Passion for Farming Sustainably. I hope you enjoyed getting to know more about Cris and JoAnn, their passions and their deep connection to the land.

If you would like to learn more about Villa Creek Winery you might enjoy these articles:

Mood Living-Organic and Biodynamic Wine in California

The Wine Independant-Doing the Right Thing

You might also enjoy my post, Mastering the Art of a Wine Country Picnic where I featured the beautiful Maha Estate.

You can check out their wines at Villa Creek Cellars, and you can also follow Villa Creek Wines on Instagram here as well.

My partner Brenda will be back next month for Ageless Style. She had a bad case of covid in November and we were going to take December off, but I wanted to keep on schedule. I can’t wait to see who she has up her sleeve for January. I have someone I know you are going to love.