North Coast winemaker Richard Moran has put his story to words in a new book titled “The Accidental Vineyard: An Old House, New Vines, and a Changed Life in Wine Country”. In a story reminiscent of A Year in Provence and We Bought a Zoo, a spontaneous, aimless drive from San Francisco to wine country—an attempt to lull a fitful, crying son to sleep—leads a harried corporate executive and his family to a dilapidated nineteenth century Victorian home.
Committing to restore it, they set out to return the house to its former grandeur—a journey that yields much more, ultimately restoring their hope for a well-rounded life.
Consulting with internationally known CEOs, counseling news media moguls, and participating in high-stakes deals with millions of dollars and thousands of jobs on the line, Rich Moran knew the rule: there’s no room for error—no fumbling, misgivings, or delays.
Ironically, it’s a wrong turn on a drive through Sonoma County that sets him and his family on a course to unearth their deepest passions and live a life true to their dreams. They couldn’t resist a promise-laden nineteenth century home, looking past its rotting wraparound porch and leaky roof. When happenstance and a good neighbor show up with grapevines, the transformation of the property grows to include planting a vineyard and making wine. Before long the family of city slickers morph into country mice and join an unexpected menagerie of people and critters in the shadow of Mount Saint Helena.
Toggling between presenting corporate slide decks in the customary blue blazer and poring over demolition plans in work gloves, Rich cultivates a newfound love for getting his hands dirty in pursuit of concrete results—from ridding the home of thousands of bats to replacing the house’s electrical system, all while establishing vines that eventually yield a vintage fit for Manhattan’s popular Four Seasons Restaurant’s exclusive wine list.
Filled to the brim with all the eccentric follies you expect from a chance undertaking turned passion project, The Accidental Vineyard is a raucous, tender-hearted tale of planting the seeds of your passions and cultivating the life you want.
Here’s what some early readers are saying about The Accidental Vineyard:
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“From clueless beginnings to unexpected victories, Moran captures the spirit of Peter Mayle as he and his family restore an old house and plant a vineyard. With heart and humor, he tells a journey you won’t soon forget.”—Frances Dinkelspiel, Author, Tangled Vines
“In The Accidental Vineyard Rich Moran is anything but a snooty wine snob—he is funny, humane, authentic, and unpretentious, with a down-to-earth perspective on how Wine Country really works and a deep appreciation for its agricultural and social traditions.”—Jesse Duarte, Editor, St. Helena Star
“In The Accidental Vineyard Richard Moran manages to combine historic preservation, wine making, family dynamics, global consulting, and inspiration into one story. Bravo!”—Jonathan Dahl, former Editor, the Wall Street Journal’s Weekend Section
Learn more about the Book HERE.
Richard Moran, besides being a winemaker and a preservationist, his background includes serving as a CEO, a college president, a venture capitalist and an author. He is an authority on workplace issues and hosts a weekly radio program on KCBS, “In the Workplace” and has written ten books about management. Rich has also served as a director on public and private corporate boards. He lives in California’s Wine Country.