The Artiste
Erin Wassum
Real Middle Sister
Erin Wassum is one of the inspirations for Middle Sister wines. Sandwiched between an older sister and younger brother, and therefore sheltered from the demands of either role, Erin was free to re-invent herself on a regular basis. From fashionista to social butterfly to flower child to happy rebel, Erin loves trying on things for size (especially vintage stuff from the thrift shop). For Erin, pink is magenta, why have just one hair color when three or four are possible, short girls should wear tall heels, and wine makes life more delicious. The self-described heart of her family, independent, loyal, feisty, original and endlessly amusing—everybody has an Erin in their life. Middle Sister is dedicated to yours - and the “Middle Sister” attitude in all of us.
Philosophy: I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys ‘r Us kid.
Terry Wheatley
Founding Mother
Middle Sister is the baby of Terry Wheatley, a wine professional with over 30 years in the business. Terry began her career as a teenage rodeo trick rider promoting the wines of E&J Gallo in California. She worked her way up in the company to a senior position, marrying a champion professional cowboy and raising two children on the way. At Sutter Home Winery, Terry became one of the top female wine executives in the business. Terry’s mission has long been to bring a female point-of-view to the male-dominated world of wine. Terry started her wine company, Canopy Management, with friends in the wine industry to create delicious, affordable wines with stories that come from her life experiences. Middle Sister was inspired by the style and attitude of the sassy second daughter of one of her closest family friends and the middle sisters she has met along her way.
Philosophy: Play nice in the sandbox or take your toys and go home
Designamatrix
Susan Lombardi
Even as a kid, Susan always had her hands in the mud, her clothes smeared with chalk, glue, clay or paint, and a giggle inside just waiting to explode. I think the word her parents used to describe her was “peculiar.” Throughout her early education they tried to suck the creativity right out of her, but she got a degree in advertising anyway at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Thus began a career designing packaging and marketing & sales materials for the fashion, fragrance, cosmetics and consumer products industries and even boring (but oh so rewarding) stuff like banking and aerospace. She is finding that her carelessly scattered background is allowing her to approach wine label design from a pleasantly skewed point of view.
Her philosophy is – If you can’t laugh at life it’s not worth living.