Director of Social Media/Raker of Leaves


Spring-Summer 2010 #23


That is the title on my son Reilly’s freshly printed Keenan Winery business card. He has been working for us on and off for the past couple of years, mostly under Randy’s guidance in the cellar or any where on the property where work needs to be done. He is the bottom man on the totem pole, hence, on occasion is asked to clear the driveway of leaves.

A few months ago I had what I thought at the time was a brilliant idea: let’s put Reilly in charge of starting our Facebook page! He’s young, computer savvy, always connected to his friends and would have no trouble figuring this out. I hear about Facebook seemingly all the time from our customers and industry colleagues and they all say that the winery should be on it. I have no clue how to do this. I’m pretty sure I was in the bar having a beer with Betty White when they had the seminar on what Facebook was all about!

Having a teenager is a lot like being in the stock market these days. One day they are up and full of promise for the future and the next day they are lying slack-jawed on the couch seemingly unable to feed themselves. When Reilly and I met a while ago to talk about our Facebook thing I showed him another winery’s page and just said, “Make it better than that.” He replied, “That’s not a very high bar to jump over.” I looked at our page last week and thought I’m not really sure he has done much jumping.

I do encourage any of you who use Facebook to hit the link on our homepage and do whatever it is you do there on our page. If you have any ideas/requests let Reilly know. Reilly@keenanwinery.com. And if you come to the tasting room this summer on a Saturday you may run into him. He’s easy to spot; he’ll be the tallest, skinniest, blondest fellow in the room. If you get a chance ask him to tell you the story of when the Fed-ex guy imitated him using the leaf-blower last winter, it’s hilarious.

Amazing how easy it is to imitate a teenager, probably because we have all been there!

Cheers to the 3rd generation, our future!

--Michael Keenan

Keenan Winery, St. Helena
Solar Powered and Sustainably Farmed Wines

The 2006 Napa Valley Summer Blend Chardonnay is the winery's first release bearing the words "Solar Powered and Sustainably Farmed." Wine Business reports that the winery, located in the Spring Mountain district of the Napa Valley, recently completed a solar power system on their property. The system will supply all of the winery's power needs. When the winery's reds are released in the fall they will carry the same "Solar Powered and Sustainably Farmed" phrase on the label.

Keenan Winery, St. Helena
Michael Keenan checks the mailbox.




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Keenan Winery Newsletter

#01 Fridays at the Winery #13 Trials, Trials & More Trials and the Return of the "Mailbox"?!
#02 Cosmology & The Historical Importance of Wine #14 An Extraordinary Year
#03 Springtime at the Winery #15 One More Time?!
#04 Confessions of a Dirt Farmer #16 Tribute
#05 Ist Half of the Story (Missing) #17 Tribute: Part Two
#06 A Glimpse of the Future, A Glance at the Past #18 Big Numbers and how the IRS is my new best friend
#07 The Second Half of the Story #19 Pigeonholing Parker
#08 Impossible Dream...Guess Who's Coming to Dinner #20 Cabernet Franc the Fourth Reserve wine
#09 News Flash! (The End of the Story) #21 Sugars and Acids together, oh my!
#10 Remembering #22 30th Anniversary Vintage
#11 Milestone #23 Director of Social Media/Raker of Leaves
#12 Second Season