We’re looking forward to introducing you to Doug Kingman. Check out our conversation below.
Doug, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Our business is all about a great experience in a wine atmosphere. We want our guests to enjoy time with their friends, with a good book, or just relaxing with a glass of wine and some food that they enjoy. And this is where the misunderstood part of the business appears; expectations of wine. We ask our guests “what kind of wine do you like?”, “Sweet, dry, fruity?”, “Light, medium, or full bodied?” and similar questions intended to help us ensure they have a glass of wine they enjoy. And their response can be “Well, I don’t like sweet wine, I want something like a Pino Grigio”, or “I like Cabernet Sauvignon”. Unfortunately, these answers do not help; a Pino Grigio can be sweet, dry, fruity, oaky, and a whole host of other characteristics. A Cabernet Sauvignon can be fruity, tannic, smooth, earthy, oaky, …. you can see the pattern. This all stems from the language of wine, it’s many dialects, and lots of marketing. It is the wine industries fault that there is such confusion; our industry, for years, has portrayed wine as a sophisticated elixir, only for the elites of the world; that speak the language. So how do we respond to a statement “I like Cabernet Sauvignon”? We ask more questions. “Do you like your Cab really smooth, or do you like a little tannic?” Do you like your Cab earthy, like many European blends, or do you like it bright and fruity like many California Cabs?” and so on until we learn enough to present what we think will meet their expectations. It is a process, there seems to be no easy way around it, and it is part of the fun of wine. The best wine in the world is the wine you like.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Our one-line intro is “Kingman Estates Winery is an extra-urban Colorado winery dedicated to producing world-class wines from Colorado grapes.”. And this intro is accurate, but only tells part of the story. Yes, we make great wine, we have many awards to prove it (smiling). What we really do is try very hard to provide our guests with a great experience, that includes wine and food. We are constantly striving to improve our guest experience and to do that we provide various forms of entertainment that go well with wine; such as live music, flamenco dance shows, mystery parties, wine dinners, and food pairing events. What you can count on when you visit Kingman Estates Winery is great service, great wine, and a great atmoshere.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before I knew something about the world, I was a cowboy. I grew up in Cortez Colorado where my father worked in the local oil business and the rest of us raised alfalfa hay and a few cattle. I loved the life and I started working for local ranchers when I was 13, earning $5 a day, doing all the things you do on small ranches to keep them going. I planned to go to college and get a degree in Farm and Ranch Management. Then we moved to Houston Texas when I was 16 and all that changed. The world told me I needed to be an Engineer.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
My younger self was bewildered by people’s behavior; I could not understand why people did the things they did. The one kind thing I could say to my younger self is “you are doing fine, no-one else really understands people either”.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
1. The only way to eternal life in heaven is by following the teachings of Jesus Christ
2. You must always do what you say you will do
3. Always do your very best
4. After Christ, nothing is more important than family
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. How do you know when you’re out of your depth?
I am out of my depth all the time, encountering problems and issues I have no experience with. And with God’s help, and using the skills and capabilities God has given me, I work through the issues and problems one step at a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kingmanwine.com
- Instagram: kingmanestateswinery
- Facebook: kingmanestateswinery
- Yelp: kingmanestateswinery
