Day in the Life: Wine Rep Pattey Ryane

Though she got her start as a wine buyer and manager for restaurants in San Francisco, she has also worked in the entertainment industry. Pattey Ryane is currently a wine representative in Los Angeles and aims to one day create a role for herself which will bring her worlds of wine and entertainment together.

CITYSIPPER recently asked Pattey Ryane to share with us some of her notes on the what a day in the life is like for her as a wine rep. The following schedule represents a typical day in her life – or, as typical as a day in her life can be.

7:00 a.m. Rise and shine

7:30 a.m. Scan e-mails; place orders; send press and point scores discounts or deals to appropriate accounts

8:00 a.m. Review the day’s appointment schedule and decide which wines to bring to the various accounts. Part of  my job is to match the needs of my accounts with the wine I sell. Sometimes it feels like a 36×36 Rubik’s Cube.

8:15 a.m. Open wines to ensure that they taste good. Yes, it’s a white juice and red coffee breakfast – always spit because alot of miles to cover.

8:30 a.m. Familiarize myself with stories and interesting facts about the wines – our book has 85 wineries and 400 some odd wines. One thing I love about wine is that no matter how much one thinks they know about wine, one can never learn it all.

8:45a.m. Get beautified!

9:15 a.m. Properly pack up wine samples for travel

9:30 a.m. Get in car and drive to appointments (average daily mileage 128 in 2009)

10:00 a.m. First appointment of the day. At appointments we sometimes wait in line if there is an open call tasting window. We pour tastes for buyers or managers, tell them about deals and facts, and pray that they buy in quantity or for a by-the-glass list. I’ll take an order (hopefully) and pack up and move to next appt.

11:00 a.m.  – 3:30 p.m. Second, third, and fourth appointments for the day and hopefully a little break for lunch. For this business, one must posess a great palate and be approachable, knowledgable, charismatic, sincere, organized, and efficient. And love wine, of course.

4:00 p.m.  I spot a new place and stop in to introduce myself. I bring a price book and try to get an apppointment.

4:45 p.m.  Making calls to set up future appointments and answering phone to take orders or solve problems during all of the above; there is nothing ‘normal’ about a wine sales work day!

6:00 p.m.  Stop by an account for drinks.I have really become a huge fan of Oregon Pinot Blancs, from Bethel Heights and Elk Cove. The varietal is more complex and richer in layers than her ‘mom’ Pinot Gris, much closer to the depth of her ‘grand-daddy’ Pinot Noir. Oregon has done a great service to all 3 varietals. I also love anything bubbly! I prefer Cremant over Cava and Proseco – more minerality – champagne is always good too. Nicely aged German Reislings are always a winner. I’m madly in love with Stolpman La Croce 06  – 50% Sangiovese, 50% Syrah. Also, Frog’s Leap Rutherford Cabernet 06.

7:30 p.m.  Dinner with friends and/or loved ones at an account – always mix pleasure with business. This is what I love about my job; the people who make the wine and those who enjoy it. Wine is a magic elixir!

10:00 p.m.  Go to bed and dream of a day off: a drive along the water up into Santa Barbara/ Santa Ynez wine country to picnic with friends; drinking a beautiful bottle of wine; and laughing alot!

Pattey Ryane can be reached via email at patteyryane@hotmail.com

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