Meet Sheree Thornsberry: Cofounder and Owner of Innumero Wines
This interview has been edited for clarity and was featured in the September 20, 2023 of Merobebe.
Merobebe
What's your favorite wine-themed movie or book?
Sheree Thornsberry
I have many, but the most recent is the series on Apple TV, Drops of God! The detailed description of this family's wine journey is so amazing. I learn something new every time that I watch it.
Merobebe
If you could only drink one type of wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Sheree Thornsberry
That's easy! While I drink many varietals, my 'go to' is Pinot Noir. There are so many different variations based upon the growing region that it's often like having a new experience every time that I open up a different brand. Plus, Pinot Noir pairs so well with most foods from seafood to steaks depending upon whether it's light or more full bodied.
Merobebe
You've had a very successful career in financial services, even winning multiple awards! What drew you not only to consume wine, but to actually make wine?
Sheree Thornsberry
My husband Brian and I began more seriously exploring wine and the Northern California area about 15 years ago and we fell in love with it. As most consumers do, we began our journey by exploring larger producers but soon found ourselves trying more boutique brands when we found specific winemakers that we liked and followed their journey. We also learned which growing regions or AVA's our palettes preferred (and not always did we agree!) and spent more time pursuing wine made from those areas.
Merobebe
Are there specific skills or experiences from your time in finance that you've found to be helpful at Innumero Wines?
Sheree Thornsberry
Looking back, I did alot of building of new things (some successful, others not so much) within corporate America that helped me develop a fearlessness (and perhaps naivety) about my ability to tackle new things. I tend to get very committed to projects, and that combined with a lot of grit and fear of failure helps me manage through my most challenging days.
I also learned the value of being able to multitask as a leader and recognize the things I do well and those I do not, which is why we have engaged so many partners to help support our wine business. I truly believe 'it takes a village'!
Merobebe
How was the transition from working in finance in Saint Louis, to working at wineries in Napa Valley? It must have been quite a chance to go straight to the heart of California wine country!
Sheree Thornsberry
Yes it was! This was a fairly long transition for us as our youngest was still in high school. We initially owned a vacation property in Calistoga that we visited several weeks a year but we lost that in the 2020 Glass fire. From there, we rented an apartment in Napa, and then finally landed permanently in Santa Rosa much to our surprise but it was a fateful event as all of our partners in the business are on the Sonoma side of the valley. Our friends and family were astounded that we would still consider moving to CA after having lost a home in a fire, but we could not see ourselves living anywhere else.
Merobebe
What were some of the most unexpected aspects of starting your own winery?
Sheree Thornsberry
People often romanticize being in the wine business and admittedly, we had some of that going on. You learn very quickly that this is a hard business and there are so many i's to dot and t's to cross. With no manual, it's easy to make mistakes (of which we have!). And, while you do your best to exert some level of control, at the end of the day, mother nature is ultimately in charge. She determines what happens in the vineyard every growing season and while growers and winemakers are magical in terms of what their roles are, they also only have so much control.
Which is why we named the brand Innumero - it's Latin for beyond the numbers. Because no matter what 'science' you apply to winemaking, it's all about what happened in that vineyard during that growing season that ultimately determines that vintage. I would say that the least fun part of my job is compliance management, and the most fun is building long-term relationships with our allocation list members.
Merobebe
What challenges have you faced as a woman who has worked in two different male-dominated industries - wine and finance?
Sheree Thornsberry
Finance can be a very tough place for women, particularly for those in elevated roles as it's traditionally been male dominated and at the C-level, there are still quite a bit of leaders from the baby boomer generation. They were simply raised in a more traditional environment than what the world looks like today. So, for female leaders, adding value and managing political landmines is an added complexity to our everyday lives.
However, I have found the wine business, at least in my limited experience, not to hold the same gender biases. So many women in the past 5-10 years have made amazing inroads in wine making that they are often deliberately sought out for wine making and related roles. Overall, I find the wine business to be much less competitive than financial services and am so grateful for all of the support we have been provided by the community to help us be successful.
Merobebe
What's next for Innumero Wines?
Sheree Thornsberry
Immediately, the release of our 2022 wines (three Pinot Noirs) to our allocation list members in early November. We are so excited for this! In addition, we will be growing to just under 500 cases with the 2023 vintage as we are adding a Chardonnay made from Bootlegger's Hill Vineyard farmed by Charlie Chenoweth. I suspect that we will exceed the 500 case count by 2025 as we are currently working to secure contracts with a few surprises for the 2024 harvest.
Other than that, we continue to share our wines with our growing allocation list members and also are attending quite a few charitable events to help build the brand and share what we believe to be some very special wines.
Merobebe
Anything else you'd like to share?
Sheree Thornsberry
When you have a dream, follow it, even if you have to take a leap of faith. Life is too short not to follow what you are really passionate about!