Please take a minute to hear from our CEO

I took some time to interview our CEO after the article yesterday in the Syracuse Daily Tribune. I made it clear to her that I am, first and foremost, a writer, and am going to be approaching this to get to the truth of the matter. Yet still, we want her to get her voice heard as well. Please, take a minute to hear from our CEO.

David: Hi Ruth, thank you for joining me today here at Lake Onondaga Vineyard.

Ruth: I felt it was important to be here now.

D: It is worth mentioning here that you don’t live here; you’re down in Syracuse.

R: That’s right, David. I believe in the vineyard, and our mission of becoming one of the East Coast’s great vineyards. However, I am not a vintner myself. I tend to be more involved in organizing things like your Wines of the World trips, and keeping our loans straight with Chase.

D: Some people might react poorly to an absentee CEO. What would you say to them?

R: What people want is a business passionate about what it is doing. We have vintners here who are deeply passionate about what they are doing. I am deeply passionate about making sure they can keep doing that. It has been working well for us so far.

D: I think that gets us to the statement in the Syracuse Daily Tribune yesterday. They quoted you as saying, “I don’t really like the Dutch. Never met a nice Dutch person in my life.”

R: I regret to say that I did indeed say that. But it’s out of context.

D: What would the context be, then?

R: They were interviewing me about my ex-husband, who was arrested for financial fraud here in Syracuse. He was Dutch, and I was talking about how he made me feel by the end of our marriage. I am ashamed of what I said. But still, I said he made me feel like I don’t really like the Dutch, or like I had never really met a nice Dutch person in my life. Because really, I only felt like I had met him and his family before. They were the only Dutch people I knew.

D: At least, until the Syracuse Daily Tribune ran your statement in an article talking about the upcoming Dutch Heritage Festival here near Lake Onondaga.

R: I had no idea there was such a strong Dutch culture here. Now I see why you were asking about me being an “absentee CEO;” yes, if I were here more often, I would know a lot more Dutch people, and would have a different opinion of them.

D: So what do you plan to do about that?

R: We are planning on having a table at the Dutch Heritage Festival. We’ll have free tastings out. And to help me meet some better Dutch people, I will be there pouring. So please, come out and join us, and help me get the bitter taste of my ex-husband out of my mouth, while I help get the bitter taste of my words out of yours. Share some wine with us, and help us to learn. It’s part of our culture here at Lake Onondaga Vineyard.

D: I think people will like to see that. Thank you for your time, Ruth, and I am sure everyone is ready to give you a piece of their mind here soon.

R: I don’t know if I’m ready for that, but I know I deserve it. I hope to see everyone there.

So please, come see us at our table at the Lake Onondaga Dutch Heritage Festival this weekend!