Sophie Esser '03.5 grew up in the Napa Valley in California. She began her Middlebury experience in the winter of 2000 as a Feb and officially commenced in May 2004 with a major in Western European Studies and German, which is attributed to her German parents and the many summers spent in Europe, and a minor in Women and Gender studies. Sophie's thesis work, under the advising of Professor John Elder, took an unusual approach in that she not only wrote about European gardening's influence on the American organic gardening movement, but also developed a children's educational gardening program that continues at Middlebury College.
It is probably no surprise that she ended up attending Middlebury College as it offered her the perfect balance of education, opportunity, beauty, and experience. She spent two years living in Weybridge House, sang in the Mamajamas, and was a member of FAM and MCOG, among other activities. Sophie speaks fluent German and studied abroad in Munich during her junior year.
Loving Vermont, yet missing California, it seemed only natural for Sophie to return to the Napa Valley in the fall of 2004. Sophie currently works with her father running the family business, Esser Cellars, a winery "dedicated to bringing fine wines to all corners of the world." Sophie's days are spent working the wine market from San Francisco to Switzerland. Sophie and her father are an excellent team that blends "the young and the fun with experience." When she is not prancing around the world selling wine, one can find her laughing with family and friends, playing her guitar, or tending the garden. Sophie hopes to someday have her own vineyards and make biodynamic wines.
Sophie attests her love for food and wine "not only to her winery and international upbringing, but also to her name: Sophie denoting wisdom and Esser, literally translating from German, to eater."