After 21 harvests, Hank and Maggie Skewis are closing Skewis Wines to explore life in different ways while still young enough to travel. I visited the Healdsburg tasting room of my friends last weekend to purchase wine for the last time.
As I tasted through the magnificent Pinot Noirs that mark the end of this era, stories emerged. Hank recollected how they began with 70 cases in 1994. “We were fortunate that our first vintage was a great growing year, and now, with our last vintage being 2014, we bookend with another historic vintage,” said Hank.
Trained in France and informed by old world winemaking that respects low yields and recognizes fruit as everything, Hank makes classic Pinot Noir. “When I started making Pinot I always felt I was swimming upstream, emulating Burgundian, earthy, herbaceous wines true to the variety and sense of place where the grapes were grown. Americans now understand and appreciate this style. It’s been incredibly gratifying, and I feel fortunate to have made a living doing what I love.”
It’s the partnership between Hank and his wife, Maggie, which has provided this life of successful and rewarding winemaking. Maggie was the front of the house: spokesperson, sales rep opening accounts throughout the Bay Area and beyond, marketing and PR maven, and direct-to-consumer manager who assisted in building the winery on a shoestring.
She well understood the raison d’etre of Skewis was to bring out the characteristics of each vineyard. So it stands to reason that the other great partners of Skewis Wines were their growers. Beginning with Fred Peterson and Floodgate Vineyard in Mendocino, “We were fortunate to have dedicated growers who encouraged Hank’s participation with vineyard decisions throughout the season, and who believed as we did in handshake contracts,” said Maggie.
What appealed to Hank was that, “We would get fruit from the same vineyards, same rows, or same blocks from our partners, which allowed for consistency year in and year out in our winemaking. In some vineyards we even had choices of clones, which added deeper complexity to our vineyard-designate wines.”
Hank regards his career as a gift, grateful for his 38 years of winemaking experience. He began at Lambert Bridge under the tutelage of mentor Ed Killian, worked the 1993 harvest in Burgundy, and for 10 years prior to founding Skewis, crafted wine for Mill Creek Vineyards.
“For me, the art of winemaking is the connection to natural cycles in the vineyards. This link is my inspiration. I take this living, growing material and transform it into something else. It’s magical. I remember walking down vineyard rows close to harvest and saying to the vines, ‘you’re going to be wine in a little while.’ Winemaking has been an emotional journey,” said Hank.
Maggie feels fortunate to have been part of the golden age of Sonoma winemaking. “When I first met Hank, there was a sharing of equipment and knowledge that was precious to us then. I remember being finished for the day, picking up a six-pack and visiting colleagues who were working late. We loved the camaraderie. We loved being part of the beginning stages as Sonoma County became a wine destination – the richness of community.”
“It’s the people we met through this industry, winemakers as well as all the fabulous chefs and sommeliers who made it special. We’ve become friends with so many of our club members, many of whom have invited us to come and visit. We hope to take them up on it now that we’re retiring,” said Maggie.
Relevance for Today: Cheers to Hank and Maggie Skewis. Thank you for the elegant and simply delicious wines you’ve brought to the world. Congratulations on your retirement in June and good health in enjoying the years to come.
Marie Gewirtz represents wine and food clients with marketing and communications in Sonoma County and throughout the world. She can be reached at wi*******@so********.com.
