As manager of communications for the Wine Institute, a nonprofit advocacy association of more than 1,100 California wineries and affiliated businesses, Gladys Horiuchi spends her time thinking of ways to promote California wineries and wine (How hard can that be?) And as a communicator for the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, she also helps encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly winegrowing and winemaking practices.
“I studied to be an English and journalism teacher for junior high or high school,” says the Mill Valley resident. “And I actually taught for six months when an English teacher left on maternity leave mid-year.” But Horiuchi’s career led her down a different path instead.
I’m not a native Californian. I grew up on the Planet Utah, a very pretty place with very strange alcohol laws.
Is there anything unusual in your briefcase?
A deck of cards that I put in for our recent vacation. I love to play card and board games. I read somewhere that Boggle is President Bill Clinton’s favorite game, so I tried it with friends and decided it’s one of my favorite games, too.
Of all the tools and gadgets you own, which one do you most enjoy using?
I like using the little foil cutter that removes the top part of the capsule that’s on a wine bottle. It may be the neat freak in me that gives me this enjoyment.
If you could be invisible for one day, what would you do?
I’d probably follow my 17-year-old son to see what his day is really like. Would I be spying? Yeah, probably. But only to gain some insight into what to say and do—or what not to say and do—to help him develop as an individual and make good choices.
If you could be a contestant on any game show, which would you choose?
“The Wine Makers” reality series that will premiere this fall on PBS. Doesn’t everyone in the industry think about having their own small vineyard or winery to make their own wine? I think I’d enjoy the creative process that winemaking requires.
How has your birth order affected you?
I have four sisters and no brothers; I’m fourth. It was fun growing up with all my sisters. There was always something going on and always someone from whom to get advice. My older sisters introduced interesting things to me, and there was some specialness in knowing about things like the Beatles before my school friends. One of my older sisters took me to parties attended by people her age, so I suppose I had to grow up a little faster.
If you could visit with any person from history, who would it be and why?
Queen Elizabeth I. She was a very strong woman who survived many plots against her life and decided that not marrying was best for her country. I’ve always been fascinated by that period of history and the drama of succession in the English court. I also like the art, the architecture, the paintings and costume.
What do you think heaven is like?
A friend once gave me a psychology test. She told me to imagine crawling out of a deep hole and to describe what I saw once I got out. I told her I imagined a quiet field of wildflowers and small animals all covered in a golden light. She said what I described was supposed to be my subconscious image of heaven—and I suppose that description isn’t unlike what I might imagine heaven to look like.
What’s your favorite type of music?
I really like most kinds of music—blues, rock, reggae, new wave and classical. There are a couple of songs I could listen to over and over, including Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,” the Beatles’ “Yesterday” or “Norwegian Wood,” and Joni Mitchell’s entire “Blue” album.
What’s one of your favorite spots in the North Bay to relax?
I like Sea Ranch in Gualala, Mendocino County. The drive up Highway 1 is nice with several great stops, such as Hog Island Oyster Farm. Sea Ranch has great tide pools with starfish and sea anemones and lovely beaches to walk on. It’s a great place to wind down.
What’s the oddest piece of clothing in your closet?
My long, burgundy velvet robe covered with East Indian embroidery. This is a very old piece from the 1960s that I never threw out.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in life? Who taught it to you?
My father always said, “It’s who you know.” I never paid much attention to that saying, but to some degree it’s been true for me. My three or four jobs in the wine industry came about through people I met—and I met my husband through a mutual friend.
What simple thing do most Americans need to know about wine that they don’t?
That there are no rules for selecting a wine for food—just drink what you like.
