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The wine business is filled with hard-working owners who are passionate about their craft. Never has there been an industry who's owners are more willing to work for almost nothing, just to be in the winery club. No matter if you came in as a farmer, financier, film-maker, or from family money - if you are in the wine business you are accepted with open arms into the brother/sisterhood of the business. Everyone is willing to share and trust their neighbor. It is a hospitality industry and all our instincts are open and accepting, really as a normal reflex to see the wine business as we all want.
All those thoughts seem wrapped up in the romance and feel of our business and makes this such a cool place in which to work. Then this past week I saw the following news report:
- Xandria Roxanne Neal, 44, of Hidden Valley Lake, CA plead not guilty today to 29 counts of embezzlement of more than $300,000 from from St. Helena's Rutherford Wine Company, where she had been an accounting clerk since 2009. The incidents occurred between September 2011 and January 2014. She allegedly used gift cards with a company credit card and used the money for personal purchases.
