A day in Aly Wente’s life is never typical. As a 5^th generation winegrower and the VP of Marketing and Customer Experience, Aly wears many hats. She’s also a key member of the senior leadership team at Wente Vineyards, contributing towards the vision, values, and long-term direction for her family’s 141-year-old winery. She grew up in the vineyards, exploring all sides of the family business, and her role today reflects that genuine interest and curiosity in everything that makes Wente Vineyards tick – from winemaking to marketing, to acting as the face of the brand when she’s both at home in the Livermore Valley and on the road. She’s especially proud of the fact that her family’s wines are now powered by women from grape to glass, and is happy to share a peak into what that looks like from her perspective:

A Typical AM

My morning typically starts around 6 a.m. with some me time –simply enjoying a quiet moment to get ready before the morning rush begins. Then, the actual day starts: waking up my son, orchestrating breakfast for him, and getting him ready for the day.

Though my workouts have gone out the window of late (still working on including them back to my routine!), I make sure I have a healthy meal in the morning. One of my favorite breakfasts is the Forager’s Cashewmilk Yogurt with a scoop of almond butter, granola, and blueberries. I’m also a huge fan of smoothies with banana, spinach, blueberries, almond butter, oat milk, vanilla protein, and cinnamon – easier for me to have my breakfast on the go when I have to drop off my son! After dropping him, I usually head into the office right after, around 8:30 a.m.

Day-to-Day as the VP of Marketing & Customer Experience

What does my day-to-day look like? As the Vice President of Marketing and Customer Experience, my passion lies in connecting with our customers and sharing my family’s 141-year story. I thrive on the creative energy of marketing and the satisfaction of delivering exceptional customer experiences. My days are filled with various meetings, ranging from strategic meetings with the senior leadership team to discussing branding strategies to ensuring flawless customer service experiences. Occasionally, I will host in-person meetings at one of the tasting rooms!

I am definitely a morning person – most productive in the mornings. If I don’t have meetings, I’ll use the time to focus on strategic projects with uninterrupted time to think. But there are days with back-to-back meetings, which I also love! These meetings challenge me to think differently about Wente Family Estates and require us to be innovative and build a new model or path for the future of the winery.

I love efficiency, so lunchtimes are generally quick, with a salad or sandwich paired with iced tea or sparkling water. The end of my workday varies from day to day, depending on what’s on my plate, though I try to log off to pick up my son around 5 p.m. After that, I tend to continue working on my phone as needed, unless I have a big project that I need to work on, which I will jump back online after he goes to bed around 7:30 p.m.

Family Time & Winding Down

After picking up our son, we often head to my parents’ house, where our dog joins the fun. They all get to run around and enjoy the fresh air before dinner. This evening ritual is a cherished part of our lives, especially during spring and summertime. We love walks in the vineyards and playing outside at “papa and ama’s” house.

What’s for dinner? Luckily, my husband, Nate, is the culinary maestro at home while I handle the cleanup. More often than not, we will enjoy a class of Riva Ranch Chardonnay with dinner. It is one of my go-to wines.

After putting my son to bed, I finally get some time to myself (yay!). I use this time to ensure my calendar is updated, coordinate pick-up/drop-off duties with Nate, and finalize any outstanding tasks from the day. Finally, my favorite part of the night – I dedicate an hour to reading before bed, immersing myself in a good book is my ultimate way to unwind and indulge in some quiet me-time.

While my days are never the same, I am fortunate to find all of them as stimulating as they are rewarding. While being a woman (and a mother!) in this role is a constant balancing act, I wouldn’t trade it for the world!