Jonathan Millner

Background

About Jonathan Millner

I am a vineyard manager, wine maker, distribution coordinator, bar tender, tour guide, janitor, and of course part owner of Millner Heritage Vineyard and Winery. I grow 9 acres of vines. I make 16 different wines and one carbonated hard cider. Gallonage for 2014 vintage is in that ballpark. We won the 2013 Governor's Cup at the International Cold Climate Wine Competition with the help of some of my fabulous grape growers, whose grapes went into the mix: Barry Hart, the Moerkes and the Goettels. This is the award given out to the wine 21 judges deem to be the best made wine in Minnesota that year. So, I'm pretty happy about that. I bet there are only a few people in the state that understand and can do all of the jobs that I do at an above average level like I believe I do. Some may be good wine makers, but poor tour guides, or a good vineyard manager but know nothing of distribution, etc. Some may be good managers and planners overall for their winery, but not good bar tenders that ever interact with their customers and tell their stories and really build that grassroots customer loyalty. Very few people have as wide of an understanding of all of these arenas as I believe I do and perform each at an above average level. This gives me rarely seen insight and great conceptualization of how an entire business operates and what aim to take the business to be successful when I know with great detail, each gear in the machine very well.