How Dave Roberts and Rich Aurilia turned bond over | College News

A great wine is pleasurable and clean, with a long, satisfying end. It makes you marvel the place it’s been all of your life.

In different phrases, it’s nothing like the connection between Dave Roberts and Rich Aurilia after they have been National League West rivals.

Every time Roberts stepped to the plate, Aurilia cringed.

Pesky left-handed hitter that he was, Roberts tended to both drag bunt down the first-base line or punch the opening between shortstop and third base, forcing Aurilia into a despised shift.

Whenever he reached second base, the amiable Roberts, at the same time as a Dodger, greeted the shortstop from the San Francisco Giants, prompting more uneasiness.

“He would always try to say ‘Hi’ to me,” Aurilia mentioned, “and I would just kind of give a little head nod.”

In 2007, their rivalry took on a new type when Roberts and Aurilia grew to become Giants teammates. Fans of cult Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley, they might deliver wine onto the group airplane, seeing who might procure probably the most lip-smacking bottle.

When a knee harm ended Roberts’ profession after the 2008 season, he known as Aurilia and John Micek, one other buddy and fellow wine lover, to ask in the event that they want to go into the wine business collectively. It was an straightforward yes.

“It’s something where you’re just trying to figure out, what are you going to do after baseball?” Roberts mentioned. “And we wanted to just make great wines.”

The trio shaped Red Stitch, the wine label’s title not solely a nod to their beloved sport but additionally the bonds which have held them collectively by way of 17 vintages. Roberts’ two World Series titles as Dodgers supervisor have supplied the chums a purpose to toast, even when one of the raised glasses is more of a salute to the person than his group.

“I mean, listen, you don’t see me standing in front of the TV during the playoffs rooting for the Dodgers, I’ll say that,” mentioned Aurilia, now half of the Giants’ pre- and postgame tv broadcast group. “But I do want to see my friend do well; it would be way better if it was for another team, but it is what it is and you try and make the best of it.”

Dave Roberts and Rich Aurilia stand within the barrel room at Red Stitch Wines

(James-Erin and Courtney de Jaure / Courtesy of Red Stitch Wines)

Just a few days after Christmas, a line to fulfill the supervisor of the defending World Series champions and have him signal bottles of Red Stitch stretched to the tip of one aisle inside the Los Feliz Costco.

Seated under a image of himself celebrating the Dodgers’ most up-to-date title, Roberts made sure the wait was value it. He warmly greeted every buyer, thanked them for the inevitable congratulations and patiently posed for footage.

One man carrying a UCLA shirt couldn’t resist a lighthearted jab on the supervisor and former Bruins outfielder who had taken a lot guff over repeated playoff stumbles.

“You’re doing a good job,” the person mentioned as he plopped a bottle into a cardboard box. “I don’t care what anybody says.”

Roberts chuckled as he signed bottles of the 2021 Sierra Mar Vineyard Chardonnay ($30.09) and 2020 Coombsville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($69.09).

Among these on the occasion who had tasted Roberts’ wines was Jeff Woolson, a longtime household buddy who described the Chardonnay as “not buttery but really minerally and clean.” Woolson mentioned he hoarded the Red Stitch Cabernet Sauvignons and broke them out reluctantly even after receiving a beneficiant pals and household low cost.

Friends aren’t the one ones salivating over these wines. Critics have routinely lavished scores within the low to mid-90 factors (utilizing a 100-point scale) on practically the complete portfolio of Red Stitch, which additionally contains Pinot Noirs from Sonoma and Santa Lucia Highlands. The Cabernets characteristic luscious fruit and a tannic construction that lends itself to ageability; the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are Burgundian in type, which means they’re elegant and approachable regardless of whether or not they’re paired with a meal or sipped alone.

Awarding the 2022 Sierra Mar Vineyard Chardonnay a 93-point score, which locations it on the high finish of its “excellent” vary, Wine Enthusiast characterised the wine as exhibiting “enticing layers of Meyer lemon, softened butter, white flower and blanched almond on the nose of this single-vineyard expression. The palate is sharp in acidity and stony in minerality, with a creamy, rich core.”

Roberts’ love of wine goes back to his days taking part in for the Dodgers.

During a journey to Napa Valley with teammate Shawn Green and their wives in 2002, Roberts discovered himself captivated by not simply the wines but additionally the proprietors and vintners who brazenly shared data of their industry.

“That really opened up a new world,” Roberts mentioned, “and it’s funny, that’s where my wife coined the term ‘Napa Dave’ because when I’m in the Napa Valley, I’m not worried about my cellphone, I’m not worried about work and I’m present and so for me that’s something that you realize that to be present is so powerful.”

After signing with San Francisco earlier than the 2006 season, Roberts was delighted to seek out he was teammates with one other wine nut when he went out to dinner with Aurilia.

Ironically, the wine that helped cement their bond got here from one of baseball’s most polarizing stars. Given a number of bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon by a winemaker as a thanks for a signed bat and jersey, Barry Bonds knew who would recognize them most.

From left, Bengie Molina, Dave Roberts, and Rich Aurilia are launched during a information convention in San Francisco in December 2006. Roberts and Aurilia have been teammates on the Giants in 2007 and 2008.

(Jeff Chiu/AP)

“Barry wasn’t a wine guy, so he walked right over to us, because he knew we were wine guys,” Aurilia mentioned, referring to himself and Roberts, “and gave us like a six-pack of Mi Sueño. We took it on one of the flights and we both really loved it.”

That offseason, Roberts and Aurilia visited Mi Sueño, simply south of downtown Napa, and met with the winemaker, Rolando Herrera. His backstory as a Mexican immigrant who rose from dishwasher to having his wines served at a White House dinner that President George W. Bush hosted for Mexican counterpart Vicente Fox was the quintessential American dream. The title of Herrera’s vineyard, which suggests “my dream,” mirrored his unlikely path.

Once Roberts and Aurilia joined forces with Micek, whom they’d befriended at a blind malbec tasting at Micek’s home within the Noe Valley part of San Francisco, it was an straightforward option to go along with Herrera because the winemaker for his or her new enterprise.

But some issues by no means change. Even as teammates as soon as more, Roberts and Aurilia sometimes let their previous rivalry seep to the floor.

“When you watch a Dodgers game with Rich,” Micek mentioned, “there’s a little bit of, God, it’s just ridiculous how they were able to build this team.”

Red Stitch Wines homeowners (from left) Rich and Amy Aurilia, Tricia and Dave Roberts, and Noelle and John Micek.

(James-Erin and Courtney de Jaure / Courtesy of Red Stitch Wines)

Each winter, the scene repeats itself as half of a cherished custom.

As if following a baseball superstition, the Red Stitch companions and their respective wives — Tricia Roberts, Amy Aurilia and Noelle Micek — take the identical seats on the similar desk at Herrera’s vineyard for his or her annual Cabernet Sauvignon mixing session.

Resting in entrance of them are 5 empty wine glasses. On the credenza to the proper are half-bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, every representing a pattern of wine from a lot within one of three vineyards. Each bottle is labeled solely with a letter, A by way of E.

Over the following 5 hours or so, they may blind style every lot, taking notes as they go. There’s no speaking different than possibly a few jokes about dinner from the earlier night time.

Are they sipping or spitting?

“I think the answer is yes — a little bit of both,” John Micek mentioned. “I think at one point, one of us might have received a T-shirt that said, ‘My stomach is my dump bucket’ but in reality, this is about families and friends and I think that’s what makes this wine so special.”

Once everybody has prioritized their favourite tons, Herrera begins creating completely different blends, that are rated anew. The course of continues till the group feels that nothing more could be performed to reinforce the mix.

It’s then that Herrera reveals the share every winery contributed to the ultimate mix, however solely after inserting a previous classic of Red Stitch into the combo unbeknownst to the tasters. Without fail, the group picks it as its favourite.

“You see people starting to smile,” John Micek mentioned of figuring out a earlier classic of their wine, “and they’re trying not to say anything.”

The group will reunite three months later as soon as the wine has been put into barrel to make the ultimate mix, including a tiny proportion of Malbec or Petit Verdot to reinforce the flavour and guarantee it aligns with the Red Stitch type.

“They’re approachable, I think that they’re all age-worthy,” Dave Roberts mentioned when requested to explain his wines, “and I think that there’s balance and there’s good acidity with all three” varietals.

For a number of years, Red Stitch produced solely a Cabernet Sauvignon, making about 100 instances.

Growth got here unexpectedly, like a common supervisor calling a minor league prospect to say he had made the massive leagues.

Winemaker Dan Kosta known as Aurilia during one harvest to inform him that Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni, two of the world’s foremost grape growers, could be prepared to promote some of their prized Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands in central Monterey County.

“The offer just kind of jumped in our laps,” Aurilia mentioned, “so we took advantage of it.”

Once the Red Stitch homeowners needed to host dinners and occasions that includes their wines, they realized they didn’t need to serve another person’s white wines. Thus originated their Chardonnay out of Santa Lucia Highlands, later joined by Pinot Noir from Sonoma County.

Since Red Stitch makes use of solely bought grapes, they have to be schlepped to Herrera’s winemaking services as half of a closely orchestrated course of. In previous vintages, fruit typically picked after midnight was hauled by refrigerated truck to keep away from heat spikes that may trigger the grapes to retain an excessive amount of sugar and raise the alcohol degree to tipsy-after-a-glass vary.

Starting with the 2024 classic, the Red Stitch Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is hauled to Sonoma as half of the label’s transition for these varietals to winemaker Erich Bradley, who related Micek with Roberts and Aurilia by way of mutual conversations resulting in their first joint tasting. (Herrera will proceed to make the label’s Cabernet Sauvignon.)

Case manufacturing has soared to 1,500, which stays comparatively small by industry requirements. There have been discussions about making a purple mix at a decrease price level to broaden the label’s appeal and entice distributors on condition that Red Stitch is offered in simply seven states.

“We’re pretty much a little mom-and-pop shop,” Aurilia mentioned, “but we get it done.”

Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts shares a giggle with Rays first base coach Michael Johns earlier than a sport final season.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Considering his day job, Roberts has ceded the business aspect of the operation to his co-owners, taking up more of an ambassador position. He readily shares Red Stitch along with his gamers and retains a stash inside Dodger Stadium.

“My office is being redone as we speak,” Roberts mentioned on the Costco occasion in late December, “so the wine fridge needs to get bigger.”

At a time when his group was making one massive acquisition after one other, Roberts mentioned there have been parallels between making a good wine and managing a championship group.

“With wine,” Roberts mentioned, “it’s about Mother Nature, it’s about the soil, it’s about the weather and as a winemaker you want to stay out of the way and when you’re not talking about the winemaker, you’re doing your job.

“As a manager, it’s about the players and when you let the players shine and not intervene too often and make it about the players, the team flourishes.”

Prosper the Dodgers have, resulting in some grudging acceptance from that longtime Giant.

“When you have a partner whose team goes out and wins the World Series,” Aurilia mentioned, “it’s not going to be a bad thing for your brand.”