Twisted Roots Celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2018

Tasting Room Renovation Completed, Expanded Hours, Music Series Announced and More!

Salinas, CA, May 22, 2018 – The Schmiedt family vineyard, was first planted with wine grapes in the rich soil of Lodi in 1918. But it took the family 87 years to decide to use those grapes to make their own wines in addition to selling the grapes to winemakers around the state.

That was 2005, when Twisted Roots Vineyards was born and Ross Schmiedt produced a Petite Sirah because of an overabundance of the grape. In 2009, production was expanded to include other varietals on the estate, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Old Vine Zinfandel.

The winemaking operation was moved from an old farmhouse to their partners at Estate Crush in Lodi, a dedicated custom crush facility for premium wine production that continues to produce Twisted Roots wines from grapes grown at the Schmiedt Vineyards.

In 2010, Josh Ruiz partnered with Mike Hodge and Ross Schmiedt to create Twisted Roots Wine LLC. Schmiedt passed away in March of 2014 and his place in the partnership was filled by his wife Susan Schmiedt.

Twisted Roots raised a few eyebrows when it opened a tasting room in Carmel Valley in 2013. “At first, some of the other winemakers were leery about having a Lodi winery here,” Ruiz told Carmel magazine,“ but they’ve accepted us.”

New Ownership

In January of 2016, Ruiz and his wife Julie, who is Schmiedt’s niece and Hodge’s daughter, bought Twisted Roots from the family. A few months later, the Ruizes brought on board a few college friends to help expand the business.

“My wife Julie and I bought the family business in January and in June we brought in three of our college friends, who live in different locations in the state, to help us grow the business,” said Ruiz. “I knew that with a full-time job in the Salinas Valley Produce business, I needed help. These are all trusted friends, who have become like family, and it’s all about growing the business. I can’t do it myself.”

Ruiz, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Agribusiness, asked his college friends Andy Gulley of Fresno, Matt Brem of Salinas and Neil Amarante of Paso Robles (and Andy and Matt’s wives, both named Laura), to join Twisted Roots.

Ruiz said the three new partners’ skill sets would be invaluable in reaching the company’s goals. Gulley is an agricultural pest control advisor, Brem owns Produce West, a Salinas produce brokerage, and Amarante is an agricultural lender.

Also joining Twisted Roots as a partner is Matt and Whitney Pridey, who are currently managing Twisted Roots’ wine club, events, and general business development. Whitney is also the sister of new partner Matt Brem.

Grapes Planted in 1918

According to Ruiz, the founders of the vineyards, planted grapes on their new property in 1918 because their neighbors were growing grapes. The original Schmiedt vineyard was planted to over 100 acres in what is known as the Dairy Vineyard, and later expanded to include the CLR Vineyards, named after the three sons, Carl, Leland and Ross, of Gust and Dorothy Schmiedt (The original visionaries).

The eventual name was conceived by Ross, who came across a tangle of old rootstock and mused, “Twisted Roots would make a good name for the vineyards and winery,” and it stuck. The appellation in a general sense is Lodi, but the specific appellation is the “Mokelumne River”, which Ruiz believes makes the grapes and wines produced completely different from the rest of the Lodi AVA’s. The corner stone of the Mokelumne River AVA is the river itself, which help to keep the Schmiedt vineyard temps just a bit cooler, in the hot Lodi summer days.

Ruiz said 2017 has been the winery’s biggest year yet, producing 1,000 cases of four varietals, including its signature “1918” Old Vine Zinfandel, created from vines planted in 1918. The other three varietals are the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2012 Petite Sirah and the 2015 Chardonnay.

He said Twisted Roots is looking at a “steady growth” of 10 to 20 percent per year, with the new partners on board to reach those goals.

“It’s still a family operation with roots in Lodi,” says Ruiz. “They really are my family, that’s why they’re partnering with me. We’re bringing it all into the Twisted Roots family.”

Tasting Room Renovation:

“When developing the design concept for Twisted Roots, it was important for us to deliver a comfortable space where guests feel at home to not just taste wine, but to grab a glass of wine, or two, and relax for a while. Craft Design-Build partnered with several local artisans to deliver custom solutions using elements that represent our unique Central Coast Vibe (Santa Cruz redwood, leather, seagrass, stone, hot rolled steel and glass).

“Our goal was to design a space that was visually appealing, but not overwhelming. The monochromatic colors and textures offer subtle interest without taking away from your wine-tasting experience.

“A highlight of the space is the 1918 room, honoring Twisted Roots 100-year-old vines. As you slide open the custom steel barn door, you will enter a space with two sophisticated chandeliers hovering above a rustic 10-foot long farmhouse table . This space was created to host many different types of events from intimate tastings, to dinner parties, to viewing sporting events.

“It was a true honor to work with the Twisted Roots team to make their dream a reality.”

— Jon and Meryl DeYoung Rasmussen, Craft Design-Build Inc.

Craft Design-Build is a full-service design/build firm specializing in both commercial and residential construction throughout Monterey County.

High Resolution Photos Available For Download

To view the gallery click on this link, http://www.richardgreenphotography.com/Chatterbox-Public-Relations/Twisted-Roots-Interior-Shots-4-8-18/, enter password, chatter, lowercase.

100th Anniversary Celebration

In 2018, Twisted Roots plans to celebrate 100 years since the vines were planted in Lodi. The festivities will include special events, wine deals, and wine club giveaways, culminating in a glitzy, black-tie, 1920s-style Hollywood party at their tasting room in Carmel Valley, which use to be the Lyons Head Art Gallery, next to Café Rustica.

Save the Date for:

Twisted Roots Announces Its Summer Concert Series at its newly renovated Tasting Room from June – August 2018!

June-Concert

-June 10, 4-6PM

-No food, Guests can bring snacks

-$15 gets entrance, a free glass, live music, FREE FOR MEMBERS

-Music: Wild Turkeys (https://www.facebook.com/Wild-Turkeys-166319330279/)

July-Concert

-July 8, 4-6

-No food, Guests can bring snacks

-$15 gets entrance, a free glass, live music, FREE FOR MEMBERS

-Music- Rise Up (http://riseupreggae.com)

August-Concert

-August 12, 4-6PM

-No food, Guests can bring snacks

-$15 gets entrance, a free glass, live music, FREE FOR MEMBERS

Taylor Rae (http://www.taylorraemusic.com)-

Twisted Roots will be the wine partner for Peace of Mind Dog Rescue Local’s Wine Night Out at the Hofsas House September 21st.

Celebrate National Pumpkin Day on the Twisted Roots Patio. Paint a pumpkin, sip Twisted Roots Wine and support Animal Friends Rescue Project October 24th.

Don’t miss out on Twisted Roots Special 100-year Anniversary Winemakers Dinner exclusively at the Whaling Station Restaurant in Monterey November 8th.

Twisted Roots will at the Hofsas House Hotel Annual Gingerbread House Fundraiser supporting the Carmel Library Foundation December 8th. Build a house for a cause while sipping bubbles from Twisted Roots.

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.twistedrootsvineyard.com

December Dates Set for Dance Kids’ 25th Anniversary Full-Length ‘Nutcracker: A Monterey Peninsula Tradition,’ Featuring 39-Member Symphony Orchestra, Children’s Choir, at Carmel’s Sunset Center

Dance Kids of Monterey County, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, announced that its popular “Nutcracker: A Monterey Peninsula Tradition

Carmel, CA, May 18, 2018 — Dance Kids of Monterey County, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, announced that its popular “Nutcracker: A Monterey Peninsula Tradition,” will be performed Dec. 7-9 at the Sunset Center in Carmel.

Once again, the annual ballet will feature the 39-member Monterey County Pops! symphony orchestra conducted by Dr. Carl Christensen. And, for the first time, the production will feature a children’s choir performing onstage during Act I’s “Dance of the Snowflakes.”

“We are so honored and excited to be celebrating our 25th anniversary this year,” says Dance Kids founder and artistic director, Carol Richmond. “It’s so heartening to know that the community continues to support our mission to strengthen character and positively influence children’s lives through the performing arts. We will continue to grow and improve and bring on new talent to carry on that legacy.”

With that in mind, Dance Kids also announced they have named veteran professional dancer and teacher Philip Pegler as its new Artistic Director. Pegler has more than 30 years of experience in classical ballet as a professional dancer and teacher. He was most recently Dance Kids’ Ballet Director.

The performance weekend begins Dec. 7, 2018, with another tradition and a gift to the community; a free 10 a.m. Friday morning show given each year to the school children of the Monterey Peninsula. Dance Kids gifts the 700-seat theater to the underserved youth in the community.

There will be a 7 p.m. Friday night show, a Gala fundraiser on Saturday night, Dec. 8, 2018, at 5 p.m. and show at 7, and the much-anticipated “Sugar Plum Fairy Champagne and Tea Party” at 12:15 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 9, followed by the show at 2 p.m.

The full-length ballet features more than 100 dancers ranging in age from 4 to adult; over 400 costumes and countless numbers of accessories, including headpieces, hats and gloves. This production requires countless hours of volunteer time and elaborate set design featuring local scenes and landmarks. The previous budget of $75,000 has grown to over $125,000 with the inclusion of the symphony. The funds were raised by the Dance Kids Board of Directors and Friends of Dance Kids.

A new addition to the production this year will be a children’s choir under the direction of Dance Kids vocal and drama instructor Stacy Meheen. The choir of children ages 6-14 will perform a wordless vocalization during Act I’s finale, “Waltz of the Snowflakes.”

“It’s an angelic sound, it’s quite lovely,” says Meheen, who is the executive director of the Wharf Theatre and voice and drama teacher at Carmel River School. “It will be very special and very spectacular.”

Meheen is seeking singers for the choir and has scheduled vocal auditions for children 6-14, at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at Carmel Academy of Performing Arts, Mission Street and Eighth Avenue, in Carmel. For more information, call (831) 624-3729.

The entire production is open to all dancers from the community and boasts a spirit of inclusion to all that audition. Auditions and rehearsal begin in September. Andrea Paris Gutierrez, of the Los Angeles Ballet Academy, returns as choreographer, with five local rehearsal directors coordinating the production. Three of the five directors are Royal Academy of Dance, London, certified instructors.

Three years ago, Dance Kids rebranded “Nutcracker; A Monterey Peninsula Tradition” and incorporated the Old Del Monte Hotel as the setting for the first act party scene and introduced famous characters associated with the Peninsula, such as Salvador Dali and John Steinbeck.

Richmond says, “The story line and choreography remain the same yet reflect the tradition of the heyday of the Peninsula in the early ’20s and ’30s.”

In the near future, the production will announce the guest artists performing in December’s productions.

Set designer for the production is Nicole Bryant-Stephans of Bottega Design, and costumes are by Joanne Phelps.

In addition, Dance Kids of Monterey County will once again present performances of “Cascanueces: A Folklorico Nutcracker,” in South County schools in November.

Now in its fifth year of touring Monterey County, the annual holiday tradition in story and dance celebrates the rich culture of Mexico and countries south of the border. The idea of melding European music and music from Spanish-speaking countries to create a “Cascanueces” has brought together mariachi musicians, folkloric choreographers and local ballet dancers.

The November 2018 tour date of “Cascanueces” is reserved by South County schools early each school year in the anticipation of a colorful and educational assembly. The tour begins in San Ardo with performances in San Lucas, King City, Greenfield and Salinas.

Sponsorships are now available for “Cascanueces” as well as in June for December’s “Nutcracker” performances. Call (831) 622-9008 for more information.

Monterey County Pops! was founded in 1985 and not only provides to the community free, public pops-and-patriotic concerts on holidays, but is the only orchestra in Monterey County that provides a tuition-free, professional performance experience for disadvantaged students in their own communities.

Their audience has grown to approximately 6,700 and 175 young, underserved performers created six professional-quality performances in collaboration with the orchestra last year.

About Dance Kids

With over 24 years of production history, Dance Kids of Monterey County, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization founded by Richmond, is proud of its wide range of theatrical experience that support the youth of the Monterey Peninsula. In the early days, productions at the Carmel Ballet Academy included “Nutcracker” and original spring musicals written by Walt de Faria and a full-length spring ballet, produced at Sunset Center.

Dance Kids was known for fun-loving nostalgia surrounding the musical and drew from the community a range of young people and their families committed to theater. As it grew, its little venue could not handle the “Nutcracker” any longer, but continued at the venue for the spring musicals, until those too, outgrew the dance studio. “Nutcracker” moved to Sunset Center in 1995 and has remained there as its home venue except for the years the center was being remodeled.

Dance Kids “Nutcracker” has grown into a premier production eagerly awaited by cast and community. The original vision of Dance Kids of Monterey County has been honored as well as surpassed in the ensuing years. This year is one of pivotal change and growth.

Street Address:

Sunset Center, Cottage #17

San Carlos Street at 10th Ave.,

Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 6225

Carmel, CA 93921

Phone: (831) 622-9008

Fax: (831) 218-1293

Email: info@dancekids.org

Website: dancekids.org

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.dancekids.org