My guest this week is Chad Johnson of Dusted Valley and Boomtown, two great Washington labels. www.dustedvalley.com
Chad Johnson is a little bit of what we call a “late bloomer.” After graduating from high school and subsequently being kicked out of college (twice), he headed out to California to live a vagabond lifestyle. Working in the hospitality industry, he gained an appreciation and then a passion for the wonders of food and wine. It soon became clear that it was time to wander to a university and get a degree. He returned to his Wisconsin roots, attended UW-Stout and studied Food Science and Chemistry. 10 years and four institutes of higher learning later, he finally graduated with 172 credits and a BS. While attending college he met and fell in love with his beautiful bride Janet. Chad subsequently worked in the bakery and pork industries specializing in quality control and research and development before shifting careers into sales for a Fortune 50 pharmaceutical firm.
Chad’s wife Janet brings home the bacon and is the only one left in corporate America. Janet, we feel your pain. They are also proud parents of the tasting room Schnoodles, Caesar and Cleo.
Dusted Valley was founded on the notion that when family pulls together the American Dream can turn into a living reality. Hey, we’re just a proud bunch of farm-raised Wisconsin Cheese-heads, and what goes well with cheese? You guessed it – wine. It’s all about the wine…
We don’t exactly remember when the idea of Dusted Valley came about. We’ve all had many inspiring experiences with wine and wonderful food, surrounded by incredible friends and family. We’re sure you can think of a few times that this fermented pleasure represented a little taste of heaven. Thus began the quest for the best fruit and estate vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley and beyond.
So, in 2003 the Braunel and Johnson families moved to Walla Walla and became the 52nd winery to “hang the shingle” and call Walla Walla Valley home. Today, our family is producing spectacular wines from its 4,000 case operation. We are vineyard focused and farm four diverse vineyards totaling nearly 100 acres in the Walla Walla Valley. In addition, Dusted Valley has begun a unique barrel project using extra-tight-grained Wisconsin Oak harvested from the very land we grew up around!
The Good Life Guy Wine of the Week:
It’s all about Dusted Valley and Boomtown
Pickup some of each at Jacob Liquor on N. Rock Road and Join us!