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Each Thanksgiving we reflect on what has been and what is to come. Welcome to 2021. It was better than 2020.

The theme for this year’s Thanksgiving letter is “Lucky and Grateful.”

And why luck? Although “luck” is defined as success or failures brought on by chance, we in the Gracianna family don’t subscribe to the notion of “chance”; we believe in the “make your own luck” principle.

Meaning…“luck” for us is something less about randomness and more to do with mindset and preparation. We think lucky people create their own luck by the keen pursuit of positioning—positioning to be in the right place at the right time—and being in the right mindset capable of identifying and seizing “lucky” looks—looks at opportunities and new possibilities. Of course, this mindset is directly linked to resilience, a base belief of the Gracianna ethos.

But why luck this year? Several reasons: something normal happened this year. We picked fruit and made wine after a series of unlucky events that would have sunk those less resilient. We also feel lucky for those that have come into our lives and stayed or those that came and could not stay—those we would have never met without divine intervention by the universe. Lucky for health and for a smooth year despite adversities all around us. Lucky for a team of dedicated wine professionals that make Gracianna thrive—from the winemaking team to the tasting room pros and everyone in finance and marketing. Lucky for five cute little grandchildren who are smart and intensely curious. We wish you to make some “lucky looks” in the year to come.

Which leads us to our favorite time of year where gratitude is on the minds of everyone at Thanksgiving. Our “Gratitude Godfather,” Bob Emmons, Professor Emeritus at UC Davis simply defines gratitude as an “affirmation of goodness.” Where we acknowledge that there are good things in our world—gifts and benefits that we’ve received.

Gratitude encourages us to recognize goodness in our lives.

The second part is figuring out where that goodness comes from. We recognize these good things as being outside of ourselves. Bob’s research tells us that true gratitude involves a humble dependence on others. We acknowledge that other people—or possibly even higher powers—have given us many gifts to help us realize the goodness in our lives.

Sometimes goodness can be easy to see—it is as simple as someone who has been good to us or good for us.

This is one of those times in life when we rely on others more than usual. The pandemic has driven us to depths of mental stress and depression never seen in our lifetime. Financially, it can be a stressful time. Health concerns for ourselves or our loved one cause us serious concern. Relationships can be tense.

In the end, shifting our mindset to creating lucky moments, acknowledging goodness in our lives and where that goodness comes from can be a recipe for pulling ourselves up and giving thanks.

That said, we appreciate you. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Trini & Lisa and the entire Gracianna team and family

Photo by Medallion Wine Club member Michael Estigoy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Healdsburg, CA) Award-winning author, producer, storyteller, global brand marketer, and partner in Gracianna Winery, Trini Amador, finally tells the story of his great-grandmother Gracianna Lasaga’s life in a way only he could in his upcoming audio novel Gracianna. Gracianna is written and narrated by Mr. Amador and distributed by Blackstone Publishing and released on Audible.com today.

The book, recorded at Squeaky Cheese Studios in Petaluma, California, was co-produced by award winning producers Ralph Scott and Kendra Murray and was mastered by Bob Shepherd Music.

Gracianna is now exclusively available to download on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Gracianna-Audiobook/1665107375.

A sample can be heard at:

https://soundcloud.com/blackstoneaudio/gracianna-by-trini-amador-chapter-22-audiobook-excerpt-2/s-bIqo6mMuuJz

Anne Fonteneau, Chief Sales Officer at Blackstone Publishing, recalls what prompted her to acquire the book for Blackstone, a leading audiobook publisher. She says, “It is a gripping story. The heroine Gracianna, a French-Basque girl, is forced to make impossible decisions after being recruited into the French Resistance in Nazi-occupied Paris. Trini’s narration and connection to the story make it a wonderful listen. As a native of France, I felt a deep appreciation for Gracianna’s struggles, and I’m thrilled that we can bring the story to a wider audience.”

Gracianna is inspired by true events in the life of Trini Amador’s great-grandmother, Gracianna Lasaga. As an adult, Amador was haunted by the vivid memory of finding a loaded German Luger tucked away in a nightstand while wandering his great-grandmother’s home in Southern California. He was only four years old at the time, but the memory remained strong, and he knew he had to explore the story behind the gun.

Decades later, Amador would delve into the remarkable odyssey of his great-grandmother’s  past, a road that led him to an incredible surprise. In Gracianna, Amador weaves fact and fiction to tell his great-grandmother’s story.

Gracianna bravely sets off to Paris in the early 1940s—on her way to America, she hopes—but is soon swept into the escalation of the war and the Nazi occupation of Paris. After chilling life-and-death struggles, she discovers that her missing sister has surfaced as a laborer in Auschwitz. When she finds an opportunity to fight back against the Nazis to try to free her sister, she takes it—even if it means using lethal force.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trini Amador is co-owner of Gracianna Winery, a “fruit-first” craftsman’s winery in Healdsburg in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma County. Gracianna is founded on the principals of its namesake, Gracianna Lasaga, the subject of this book who would prepare simple but gracious meals that always included wine—her meal presentations were delivered with grace and gratitude, and that is why Gracianna wines are for those with something to be grateful for.

For the past 21 years, Amador has also been a principal at BHC Consulting, which specializes in global brand strategy, research, and insights development.

Press Contact: Lindsay Musco, Gracianna Marketing Manager, (707) 280-8160, lindsay@gracianna.com

Harvest is close at hand, and our job these days is to study every detail and respond to the cues that Mother Nature delivers to us.

The Amador and Petersen ladies. We are so grateful for how our family pulled together to restore our estate after the floods this year. Now that things are back to normal, it’s a joy to celebrate together! 

It’s always fun to hear how people find us! “This winery was something we Googled and found on Yelp. We were so lucky to find it. The family was very warm and welcoming. They even invited us into their home for a walk-through of their beautiful house. The wine was delicious and it was well worth finding. I would look forward to going back again. Amazing story behind why this winery was started. It’s neat to see the family history. The fact that it was named after their grandmother too was really amazing. We were very thankful and blessed to find this quaint, family-owned winery. Looking forward to visiting again!” – Katie

Review of the 2017 Reserve Pinot Noir: The PinotFile calls this wine—made in a limited run of 74 cases—“surprisingly forward for a 2017 release, displaying a deep spiced cherry-flavored core filled out with a bit of toasty oak in the background. Soothing in texture and easy to like. Score: 93.” 

Sometimes it is time to kick back and enjoy…sometimes it is time to be serious about wine…. at Gracianna you can have both!

Do you chill your red wine in the summertime?

Julie writes: “We have been Gracianna wine club members almost from their opening… At the time, we joined immediately on our first visit not only because we enjoy the wines (especially the Zins and Pinots), but we love the very sincere welcome and warm hospitality.” — another lovely guest review from some members of our Medallion Wine Club family

Wineries and dogs go hand in paw! Meet Casper! #thedogsofwine