How Wine Tributaries Began

Tim Hayes and John Koetzner wrote the wine column "Wine Tributaries" for The Healdsburg Tribune and the Windsor Times from 1997-2000. Wine Tributaries was hosted at Wines.com from 1999-2008 until that site was redesigned and eliminated past wine articles from Wine Tributaries and the late Jerry Mead. Tim and John launched Wine Tributaries.com in 2004, and they are continuing to write about wines, wineries, and wine–related events. Every other week they explore some aspect of the wine industry, examining the many wine appellations and the ideas associated with wine. Subjects include winery profiles, winemaker profiles, wine tastings, and miscellaneous topics that make up the wine industry. Join them as they travel along the tributaries that lead to a greater appreciation of wine.

About Tim Hayes & John Koetzner
Tim and John worked together at Chateau Souverain together for ten years, and then they worked together at Chateau De Baun for four years. Each has over twenty-five years experience in the Sonoma County wine industry. Tim moved to an Assistant Winemaker position at Vigil Vineyards until summer 2002. Currently, Tim Hayes works for La Crema Winery. John Koetzner has done seasonal work for other wineries over the years as well, including Ferrari-Carano, Mill Creek Vineyards, and Simi Winery in Healdsburg. Most recently, John worked seasonally with Sebastopol Vineyards.

Besides working in the wine industry, Tim and John have been involved in numerous tastings and wine events over their many years in the wine industry. They have been judges for the Sonoma County Harvest Fair's Amateur Division, and they have worked several years with the Sonoma County Wine Auction, a world class event. By working within the wine industry and meeting with other wine professionals, they continue to update their knowledge about California's wines and wines from around the world. Past articles can be found at www.wines.com as well as the archives here at WineTributaries.com. You can contact Tim Hayes and John Koetzner by emailing them at writers@winetributaries.com.

Tim ready to judge.

John with one of our mentors, Joe Vercelli.

You can contact Tim Hayes by emailing him at tim@winetributaries.com and you can contact John Koetzner by emailing him at john@winetributaries.com.

Margie Koetzner provides photography for Wine Tributaries. She can be reached by email at margie@winetributaries.com. She also has a web site called Wine Country Artisans that is located at http://www.winecountry-artisans.com/

Snail Mail Address: Wine Tributaries, P.O. Box 432, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Upcoming Events

Wine Tributaries presents a listing of upcoming wine events that are worth exploring in different wine appellations.

Taste Alexander Valley - May 16, 2015 - May 17, 2015

Visit Margie Koetzner's Wine Country Artisans web site for recycled wine bottle art and more.

Wine bottle art

Contact Wine Tributaries.com