The wine business became
a full-time job suddenly

From page 20

Ray M. Parker Jr. is the
publisher of the Wine Advocate,
an independent consumer’s _ bi-
monthly guide to fine wine. He is
also regarded as one of the best
wine critics in the world.

In June, Parker wrote the fol-
lowing about Signorello:

“| do not think I am being too
bold in saying that this producer
might be the hottest winery in
Napa Valley.

“In less than a decade the
Signorello family has established
itself as a superb maker of Pinot
Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet
-Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and
now Semillon.

“These four new releases are
terrific and, although quantities
available are smail, wine en-
thusiasts should eagerly seek them

out. Move quickly, as this winery.

is becoming. a reference. point for
quality in the Napa Valley.”’

But it’s just not Parker who is
singing the praises of Signoretlo.

_ Approximately 20 other well-
known wine critics have also given
Signorello’s products top marks.

And considering that there are
220 wineries in the Napa Valley,

~ 700 in total in California and
about 1,400 across the United
States, Signorello can be proud of
what he has achieved in such a
short time.

While his dad lives at the family
-house in West Vancouver, where
he oversees his other business ac-
tivities in the fields of mining de-
velopment, real estate and cil and
gas, Signoretlo lives in San Fran-
cisco where he makes the daily
one-hour commute .to the vine-
yards in the Napa Valley.

._He went to school in West
Vancouver before graduating from
: a private school on the University

-.. of B.C, (UBC) can:pus. °
“. After graduating, he spent two
years working at various. jobs in
Vancouver before going to UBC
for five years where he obtained a

~ commerce degree in real estate
and finance.

“While Signorello did involve
himself in the business world of
real estate and finance, he scon

© NAME: Ray Signorello Jr.
© AGE: 29

@ OCCUPATION:
Signorello Vineyards
@ BORN: San Francisco

@ RESIDENCE: San _ Francisco
and West Vancouver

© FAMILY: Single

@ EDUCATION: Commerce
degree in real estate and finance
from the University of B.C.

Padrone of

found that it would have to take a
back seat to the wine business,
which suddenly turned into a
full-time job for Signorello.

Aside from being one of the
premier wine makers in North
America, this single 29-year-old
also has a helicopter pilot’s
licence, holds a black belt in mar-
tial arts and is a certified wine
judge in the United States.

The Signorello winery is only a
three-man operation, run by Ray,
his father and wine maker Steve
Devitt.

“It’s a good union as far as
wine making goes because he
(Devitt) knows how to make it in
terms of all the technical stuff.
My role with the winery is the
blender.”’

Signorello dces all the hands-on
work at the winery. When he isn’t
doing that, he’s out on the road
selling his product..

“We got pushed into the wine
end of it, and now we look back
and it was a good thing. We’re
happy that we're in the wine
business,”’ says Signorellv. .

“It’s tough in the wine
business.. You’re either in the top
group doing well or you’re in the
bottom two-thirds that is struggl-
ing. In the first three years we
were in that bottom group, and
now we’ve made the top.””

Signorello is doing so well that
his wines sell out in about two
months from the time they are
released. Most other wineries are
set up to seli their product all year
long.

He, says that his bottom line is
to produce the best possible wine.

It’s Customer Appreciation Month in our Tounge
and restaurant, and to celebrate, were rolling }
back our prices for the entire month.

GREAT FUN, GREAT SAVINGS!

Signorello says he is not content
with where his wines are right now
in the world market, although his
product is a leader.

He adds that in the wine
business ‘“tyou always have to be
looking for a little more”’ and that
“‘you can never make a perfect
wine so you have to keep trying.””

Signorello also does something
most other wine makers don’t: he
tastes his competitors’ products.

He says other wine makers do
not do that because they do not
have the time or cannot get access
to the competition’s products.

But Signorello believes it is im-
portant for him and Devitt to
make the time to try other wines
so they know what the competi-
tion is doing.

“That's one thing that Steve
and I do is get together and taste
everyone else’s wine. If there’s
just one guy who is a wine maker
then sometimes you get a little too
close to your children and can’t
give an objective opinion.”

Signorello is also careful not to
make too much of his product.
This commerce graduate is well
aware of how the supply and de-
mand theory works.

“In the wine business, if you
don’t have enough wine, that’s
great. If you have too much wine,
it seems no one wants it.

“That’s the way people are.
They want something they can’t
have. The wines that people can’t
have, they'll pay anything for
them.

“{ want my wines rare and
sought-after. Wine collectors and
people who know a lot about
wines, I think, are the people who
are geared towards my type of

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NEWS photo
RAY SIGNORELLO relaxes at the family home in West Vancouver
by playing with his two dogs: Doberman Pinscher. Tashs: “and ;
poodle Snoopy.

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