Meet Kerith Overstreet: Former Doctor-Turned-Winemaker
This interview was featured in the March 29, 2023 issue of Merobebe.
When Kerith was a child, her dad told her that she could be whatever she wanted – “after medical school.” And she did! Luckily for us, she pivoted to winemaking after completing medical school, residency, and fellowships. She enrolled at UC Davis to study wine and in 2008, she began Bruliam Wines.
Now she produces 1,200 cases a year, has produced a 94-point pinot noir and zinfandel, and been featured in magazines like Forbes. Of course, that’s not all. She’s also donated to over 100 charities since the winery’s inception, is a mother to three children, and has her own estate vineyard in the Russian River Valley (Bruliam also sources grapes from Sonoma County and the Santa Lucia Highlands). Now that her impressive resume is out of the way…
Merobebe
If you could only drink one type of wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Kerith Overstreet
Pinot noir, naturally. I’m biased; it’s my favorite. Pinot noir is aromatic, beautiful, and versatile. If you start with pinot noir, you can make bubbles, rose, or still pinot noir, all deliciously awesome!!
Merobebe
What's your favorite wine and food pairing?
Kerith Overstreet
My most delightful and unusual food and wine pairing is my homemade chocolate almond biscotti dunked in my Rockpile zin (a la vin santo in Italy). Baking spices in the biscotti echo the aromatics from the French oak barrels, and the dark chocolate almonds enhance the mocha notes in the zin.
Merobebe
What are some skills that you've been able to transfer over from your medical days to making wine and managing a winery?
Kerith Overstreet
I came to winemaking with a strong background in microbiology, basic science, and chemistry. I was never intimidated by winemaking’s more academic bits, like harvest chemistry or oxidation/reduction chemistry. In fact, I am more intimidated having to hook up a pump and ensure the triclover fitting is tight enough that nothing leaks from the racking valve!
I often joke that harvest mornings are a lot like internal medicine rounds. You arrive at the winery, immediately pop the covers off your open top tanks, peer inside, and take a big sniff. Ask yourself, does everything look OK and smell OK? It’s not dissimilar from seeing your inpatients, checking wounds, bandages, and your patient’s demeanor. It’s critical to monitor your tank’s temperature, which always reminds me of the chief residents asking, “Any fevers overnight?” Before I leave the winery, I make a second set of “afternoon rounds,” checking on my tanks all over again.
I think this drive to be a detailed observer and measure, graph, and document the evolution of a fermentation is probably borne of my medical training. Fermentation evolves in a predictable way, just like a common cold, healing from a broken bone, or recovering from surgery. If you’re a careful observer, you’ll catch any permutations or deviations before they ignite into bigger problems. My neurology professor used to admonish us, “Don’t just do something. Stand there!”
I try to remember his mantra in the throes of harvest, when I am feeling impatient or anxious about a fermentation lot. Perhaps doing nothing more than patiently observing would best serve both the wine and my mental health!! Standing by and doing nothing is often the toughest part of winemaking.
Merobebe
Not only are you a former doctor and a winemaker, but you also handle the marketing, sales, and other day to day aspects of owning a winery plus you have three children! What advice do you have for other parents (or wannabe-parents) who may be struggling with work-life balance? How can we all reach for our professional dreams while taking time for our loved ones?
Kerith Overstreet
Boy, you’re generous to think I’d have the solution to this age-old dilemma. Everyone is busy; our day is limited to 24 hours. Ask for help when you need it- I’m not very good at that one. But working parents require help with childcare, toting kids from one after school activity to another, and probably even with cooking or cleanup. Figure out where your physical presence is most critical and prioritize those moments.
For example, I’ve felt comfortable having a nanny pick up my kids from school, provide an after-school snack, and take them to [fill-in-the-blank], when I needed to attend a winery event or tasting. We are both competent and careful driving carpool or slicing apple. But only I can speak about my winery in the most passionate, engaged, and authentic way. Ah, and communicate, especially with teenagers! I won’t know that you need me to bake cupcakes for that fundraiser (tomorrow!) or drive to you to the city for a concert unless you tell me in advance, so that time is protected on my calendar. The sooner you have the date for that away swim meet in Sacramento, the sooner I turn off the Tock tasting room reservations and be present to cherish the best parts and more important parts of parenthood.
And, lest I forget: work in the cracks. I always have my laptop packed in my tote bag. I used to reply to emails, process POs, and write marketing copy from my minivan, waiting in the after school pickup line.
Merobebe
What challenges have you faced as a woman in the male-dominated field of medicine and winemaking, and how have you overcome them?
Kerith Overstreet
I think we can agree that almost every woman has faced gender bias in some capacity at some juncture in her career, hopefully on the less painful end of the spectrum. Oh (sigh), let’s see, I was once at an industry tasting when a gentleman asked me to bring him a glass of water; he assumed I was service staff. Generally speaking, I am not great about confrontation, so I simply walk away. Make like Elsa; let it go. I have walked away from fruit contracts, distributors, and even professional opportunities because I felt devalued and belittled. Why waste your time feeling like a defeated impostor and defending your credentials against a bully when you can choose to work with allies who champion what you do and your good work.
Now that I’m old(er), I am confident enough to ignore much of the chatter. Please don’t mansplain winemaking terms and techniques and opinions unless you are a veteran winemaker. If you’re a random Joe at a public tasting, I don’t care for your opinion on native fermentation or the square footage and rack count of your personal cellar.
Merobebe
Last question: What were some of the most surprising aspects of opening a winery?
Kerith Overstreet
Making consistent, high quality, well scoring wine is easy. Selling wine is much harder.
Learn more about Kerith’s story at bruliamwines.com or across all social media channels @bruliamwines.