Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Bader.
Hi Alex, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My wife, Catherine, and I became curious about wine when we were in our mid-40s. We hosted casual blind wine-tastings at our house, enjoyed reading educational wine books, and attended the Introductory Sommelier Course in Houston. On one ordinary day in the fall of 2013, I undusted, by accident, a basic winemaking book, authored by Jeff Cox. It was a simple and practical read – a perfect guide to get me started on my own. Soon we tried out our first batches of wine, with my wife lending her helping hands while I was away on business travels at my day job. We even brought some of our first homemade wines with us on vacation, proudly offering a bottle to share with friends, who did not reciprocate our excitement, and instead voiced quality concerns. To our delight, our homemade wines succeeded our expectations. Charged with positive feedback from our circle of friends and fully driven by my new hobby, I continued my self-study in the craft; it was soon followed by investing in small scale winemaking equipment. One year later, we acquired a 13-acre lot in the country in New Waverly, with a small ranch house placed in the center of the property. Majestic oak trees surrounded the building, giving inspiration later for the brand name of our winery. Being residents in The Woodlands and both of us working demanding jobs, we had been dreaming for a while about spending weekends in tranquil Texas country, burning log-fires, watching sunsets, and gazing at the stars.
We also saw the potential of the land to plant a vineyard. To test the waters, we decided to plant a row of Merlot grapevines. Proven successful, we continued expanding our vineyard, and within three years, we had rooted 600 vines on a one-acre plot. While having been busy in the vineyard, we also needed more space for our small wine production. We transformed the garage of the ranch house into our winery, purchased and hauled more cellar equipment, and drastically renovated our immediate outdoor premises around the house. Taking a step back from nonstop activities, we realized that what began as an enjoyable pastime has evolved into a serious project. As a result, we committed to building a commercial winery and began the construction of a metal frame building which was finished a year later, unfortunately coinciding with the arrival of COVID-19.
In October 2020, we opened the doors to the public. Despite the pandemic, we have been blessed with a growing business and a loyal customer base. Encouraged by growing numbers of visitors and positive consumer reviews, we renovated the ranch house and repurposed it as our tasting room. We have added more wine styles to our portfolio, now offering dry and sweet White Wines, dry Red Wines, a Rose’ Wine, and Dessert Wines. All wines currently submitted for evaluation won Medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition and the Lonestar International Wine Competition in Texas. The wines are exclusively sold at our tasting room and on our website. We enjoy and are passionate about the transformational process from grape to bottled wine. As a family-operated business, all winemaking activities are performed in-house: from destemming, pressing, fermenting, aging, label design, and the bottling of wine. At last, the act of uncorking a bottle and pouring a glass of wine is a rewarding celebration. We consider our winery a destination for visitors who are curious about and enjoy Texas Wines, along with an epiphany for nature; they can expect exceptional hospitality. Most importantly, we want every guest to leave our Winery with a lasting memory of happiness.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
For us, building a grass-roots winery from scratch did not happen overnight. We were naive and driven, solving problems one at a time. What has helped us along the way was that we were careful in scaling up our operation and setting clear priorities. As a family business, we were painfully constrained with resources and had to think twice about what investment was critical for our continued business growth. The biggest challenge for us has been balancing family with business interests, especially with two teenage daughters going to school. From an operations perspective, we faced difficulties in keeping our doors open during COVID-19, and ensuring sufficient grape supply for production, which was particularly challenging for the past two years, caused by increasingly more detrimental weather conditions. Further, wine production is typically cyclical, and the timespan between grape harvests until the wine enters the aging period is very intense. We rely on contracted help and supportive volunteers who are available on short notice.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a native Austrian, I came to this country in 1997 as an expatriate in the power-generation industry. I grew up in the center of the Austrian Alps, where I spent most of my leisure time outdoors. There, it was not unusual to master downhill skiing at the age of five.
I have always enjoyed being in the elements of nature, whether in the form of sports like windsurfing, skiing, and mountain biking, or simply by hiking in the mountains with a planned stop at a mountain hut. My inherent affinity to outdoor activities found its place in Texas too. My wife and I love to work the land in New Waverly, whether in the vineyard, or on new estate improvement activities around the ranch house. Even more so, the process of wine-making brings it all together: the grapes from mother nature, and the invaluable relationships within the community.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I met my wife, an immigrant from China, in Detroit, Michigan. This was a pivotal moment for me not only because I found my perfect partner, but also because it changed both of our life trajectories by staying in the USA and becoming US citizens. With regards to the business, we have spent long hours discussing floor plans, label and website design, product portfolio and pricing, and event planning; she also has been hands on spending late nights processing grapes, or hand-labeling a new release wine. She has been instrumental in the pursuit of our own enterprise, always supportive, giving advice, adding perspective, or just lifting me up.
During my two-decades-long tenure as an employee, I was let go on two occasions. The first time during the financial crises in late 2015, and a second time in 2020 during the pandemic. Frustrated and stressed, I procrastinated on a solution for my predicament. It was time for a change – let’s make awesome wine!
Pricing:
- Prices for our wine bottles range from $20 to $38
Contact Info:
- Website: www.goldenoakmicrocellar.com
- Instagram: @golden_oak_micro_cellar
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/goldenoakmicrocellar
- Twitter: @Goldenoakmc
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/golden-oak-micro-cellar-new-waverly
