Morgan Morris
Shipping Manager & Estate Host
As shipping manager, Morgan sees that our wines make their way to our collectors with as much ease as possible. (Shipping is one of the most challenging aspects of the wine world.) As estate host, she lives on the property, orchestrates the overnight guest experience at the Vineyard House, and hosts tastings overlooking the estate vineyard. She also assists Alex in the cellar during harvest.
Morgan was born in a small town in North Carolina, where she grew up competing in gymnastics and following her football coach dad around at practice. She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, double majoring in Communications and American Studies. During college, Morgan worked as a media intern for an NFL organization, and also took various roles in Charlotte’s up-and-coming fine dining and beverage scene—from social media to restaurant launch to bartending.
Morgan wanted to push herself towards new community and a new city after college. Just before graduation, her uncle Stephen Kanzler described what a career in the wine industry would look like and encouraged her to reach out to her cousin Alex for guidance. She applied for harvest internships, and took a job at Paul Hobbs Winery in Sonoma County, where she got her first taste of wine production.
“I honestly felt immediately so excited for what my future was going to look like. Winemaking, especially as an intern, isn’t easy work but it is intentional and it brings people together. I had never been around so many likeminded, passionate people.”
Next she explored the hospitality and education side of the wine, with a tasting room position at Three Sticks in the city of Sonoma. Then, seeking another perspective on Burgundian varietals and more production experience, she went on to work harvest at Antica Terra in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
After harvest, Morgan got a call from Alex and Breauna asking if she would consider moving back down to join the family business, since their baby was on the way. She jumped at the chance.