Photograph by Kathy De La Torre

Nancy and Eddy Szyjewicz check on the vines at the Mount Bache Cellars vineyard, one of their clients in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Wine is simply DeVine for vineyard designers

By Shari Kaplan

It might not be the most conducive thing to do in light of the business he's in, but DeVine Consultants co-founder Eddy Szyjewicz (pronounced "Shevitz") says that if he doesn't talk half of his prospective clients out of their vineyard projects, he feels he isn't doing his job properly.

"It's not difficult for people to get whipped up into a romantic frenzy over starting up a vineyard. But long after the romance dies, the project still exists," he says with a knowing smile. "I first try to talk people out of it, to make sure they're not just seeing it through 'grape-colored' glasses. A vineyard is a high-maintenance landscaping project because it has a target: grapes!"

Even after they warn clients against idealism, Eddy and wife Nancy still have so much business that they maintain almost perennial waiting lists. As DeVine Consultants, the Szyjewiczes' main forte is the design, installation and maintenance of customized home vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, as well as in the Santa Clara Valley and, sometimes, even in other Northern and Southern California locales.

Complementing this are the classes they offer at various University of California extensions on topics such as wine-tasting for beginners, vineyard management and winemaking. They also produce informative publications, a newsletter and a website, www.microwinery.com. Among the pages of their website is one in which they help a handful of small California winemakers sell wines, crafted from grapes grown in DeVine-designed vineyards.

People growing grapes for commercial purposes are only part of the Szyjewiczes' clientele, however. In their 15 years in the business, they've encountered a variety of other purposes, including home winemaking for personal consumption, lifestyle landscaping, historical connections, home gardening, real estate enhancement, tax incentives and erosion easement.

"Whether someone has eight vines, eight acres or 80 acres, we work with them all. We actually prefer the people with the eight vines--small projects with big passion!" he says, chuckling.

Whatever the size of the projects they assist with, Eddy and Nancy are well qualified: each holds a master's degree in viticulture--the science of grape-growing--from UC-Davis. Before founding DeVine Consultants 15 years ago, the couple also held research and teaching positions at Davis's Department of Viticulture. They even went on a road trip searching the Midwest and East Coast for the perfect vineyard site for a German grape-grower someone had recommended to them.

Through it all, the Szyjewiczes decided they wanted to demystify the process of grape-growing and help ease the confusion and frustration of people who were interested in the science. They're still doing it today, with no plans to stop in the near future.

"It's an interesting business to be in, and it involves stuff that most people wouldn't have to deal with. I'm keeping track of 100 [clients], and no two are alike," Nancy says. "What keeps it fresh for us is people's enthusiasm. When they get their first harvest, they're always so excited!"

As for the Szyjewiczes, the harvests that excite them vary. Nancy says her personal favorite is "a good cabernet." Eddy likes that as well, but says he really loves "a great pinot noir--a very rare thing!"

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For more information about DeVine Consultants, call 408.353.WINE or visit www.microwinery.com on the Internet.

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