About Rachell of 4 the Grapes

I discovered my PASSION for the wine industry over 4 years ago when I worked at King Estate Winery as a webmaster and photographer. Until then (I have been a web and print designer since 1997), I had never focused on any one business niche, enjoying the challenge of working with many different kinds of businesses and people -- from clothing companies to actors. But during the year and a half I spent at King Estate, I became involved in all aspects of winery life (as the writer and photographer for the website I was constantly researching all aspects of the wine process -- from grafting, planting, and harvest all the way to production and marketing the finished bottle) and realized I had found my niche.

I loved talking to all the wonderful people who work at the vineyards and wineries to produce the best grapes and wines possible, and the challenge of working in such a complicated industry that not only is constantly changing but involves people from all walks of life and economic levels -- from the hard-working, plain-speaking vineyard owners to the ultra sophisticated wine reviewers!

However, the more involved I became in the wine industry the more I noticed many wineries having problems with their websites -- website updates taking weeks and months to be made; pages not working right or not showing up all-together; technical support people being impossible to get a hold of and not returning phone calls and emails; ecommerce solutions that were difficult to customize and cost over $4,000 per year; content management systems (content management systems allow winery people to update their own sites) that cost $20,000 to set up and $125 per month! With all my experience in design I knew many of these wineries and vineyards were being taken advantage of and wanted to do something about it.

By starting 4 the Grapes I can help wineries and vineyards have customized design solutions from someone who knows their target audience and understands the many challenges of working in the wine industry — all while working within their budgets. The fact I can design their print materials and take pictures of their wine bottles in my studio and in their vineyards is just an additional service I can provide.

Since then, I've had the pleasure of working with some of the top wineries in Oregon (Abacela and Silvan Ridge to name a few) and love the diversity of being covered in mud while taking pictures in a vineyard one day, and dressed in my nice clean 'nerd suit' while programming a client's ecommerce solution the next. Ahhhh, this is the life!!!