Carmel Magazine

Local Winemaker Shares Her Dreams B Y L A R RY H A R L A N D A sk Dawn Galante about her winery Dawn's Dream and 20 minutes pass before she even mentions varietals, vintages or viticulture. That's because Galante's "dream" goes beyond winemaking. Her mission was always to create dreams for others. A staunch advocate for troubled youth, Galante followed in the grape- stained footsteps of her husband Jack, who has been making stellar estate wines (most notably Cabernet) since 1994 on his 700-acre working cat- tle ranch in Cachagua. "My passion for helping kids equals my passion for making wine," says Galante, a volunteer for Voices for Children who personally mentors young women struggling to find their way. "I'm making the most of this business to help others." Raised in Michigan by a single mom, Dawn met Jack in 1985 and they blended families to create a household of seven. As CFO of Galante Winery, Galante star ted her own venture in 2011, with 1,600 cases and consulting winemaker Greg Vita (Frogs Leap, Spring Mountain) joining her Dream Team. Galante sources grapes for three main wines, all Pinot Noir, made in a "softer, more feminine style" and named after each of her three daugh- ters, Rachael, Alyssa and Nicole (the label depicts a silhouette of a wine- drinking woman reclining in a bathtub). She donates 15 percent of sales to charity, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Rising International. Her award-winning wines are known for their full-flavored, bright and elegant characteristics. Aside from Pinot, she also makes a Carmel Valley Sauvignon Blanc, a Rosé from Arroyo Seco, first-press Pinot Noir and a fruit-forward, slightly oaked Chardonnay atypical for California. Galante says she always wanted to "produce approachable wines of exceptional quality and elegance." Inspiration comes from Henry David Thoreau's quote: "Dreams are the touchstones of our character." On each bottle Galante writes this message: "This is my dream and I hope you enjoy the wines as much as I enjoyed making them for you. After all, the best dreams are meant to be shared." Dawn's Dream Tasting Room is located on the NW corner of 7th and San Carlos, Carmel. 831/659-2649 or www.dawnsdreamwiner y.com. 246 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 4 Photo: Kelli Uldall wine notes

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