Backed by over 100 years of hard work, determination, and grit, the term “fifth-generation family business” holds great weight with the Lerner family. Carrying on the family farming business from Jorja Lerner’s parents, George and Kathy Mettler, was a sacred trust to the Lerners. They assumed this responsibility to continue a legacy, and to grow it into a respected and profitable business they could then pass on to their own children.
When Kyle and Jorja Lerner took their daughter, Kirsten, to dinner this past September and asked her to officially join the Harney Lane team, they were thrilled to hear that she wanted to carry on this legacy. Her leadership position as our new Wine Club Manager officially makes Kirsten the sixth generation of her family at Harney Lane Winery.
Harney Lane’s beloved Lizzy James Old Vine Zinfandel was named after Kirsten “Elizabeth” Lerner and Ian “James” Lerner, the sixth-generation family members, children of Kyle and Jorja. Lizzy James is not only an iconic wine in the Lodi appellation, but is grown from a beautiful and ancient 118-year-old Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi vineyard. Having been known by her name on the wine label for the past 15 years, it is now a remarkable, full-circle moment for the family to now see Lizzy on the home ranch every day.
We sat down with three generations, Kathy, Kyle, Jorja, and Kirsten, to hear first-hand what it means to have the sixth-generation family step in and assume the role of Wine Club Manager. We also got to speak with Kirsten about how she plans to nurture the wine club family and continue to lead a club built on the highest quality customer service, community service, and family values. If there’s one thing Kirsten is sure of, it’s bringing the wine club members the kind of service and dedication she’s known her whole life on Harney Lane.
Kirsten Lerner, Wine Club Manager
Have you ever had ambitions of joining the family business?
For a long time, my parents have always said there’s “no pressure.” But with something that has been worked on so hard for five generations, it’s hard to come in as the sixth generation and not want to continue that. It was always in the back of my mind that Ian and I would eventually want to step in.
What has been your experience seeing your family operate the wine business?
We’re celebrating the winery’s 15th Anniversary next year, and I was nine years old when the winery was being built. It has really been everything from watching my parents work really hard and long hours, to the fun things, like putting corks in bottles (back when we were corking the bottles by hand) and becoming purple from cleaning the press. That has been one of the coolest parts though. I’ve been able to watch the winery and staff grow. Being here every day now, I can really get a better grasp of the day-to-day of the business.
What has led you to this point?
A really good dinner in Sacramento with my parents (Kirsten chuckles), a business degree from Sacramento State, and some life experience.
What does the wine club mean to you?
To me, the wine club is about this really great group of people that have entrusted us and chosen us as a place where they want to spend their time and their money. At the end of the day, it’s about us creating something the members want to be a part of.
What do you hope to bring to the wine club?
As wine club manager, I want to not only continue something really amazing, but I want to better their experience and do whatever I can to make sure they are a part of a wine club they love. Building a wine club that reflects who Harney Lane is and the hard work that has gone into it, is incredibly important to me.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I grew up doing performing arts and almost got a performing arts degree!
Kathy Mettler, 4th Generation Proprietor, Kyle & Jorja Lerner, Fifth Generation Proprietors
What makes you most excited about having Kirsten here?
Kathy: I think it is wonderful having her here. I have to restrain myself from checking on her every day. I’m always reminding myself that she’s a professional and I can’t just pop in to talk to her all the time.
Jorja: Well, who doesn’t want to work with their children and keep the family business going?! Kirsten has a unique set of skills and even if she wasn’t our daughter she would do amazing. She is smart and also really great with people. She also comes in with a unique knowledge base from being part of this from the beginning. In terms of how we want to treat our club members and what our history is, all of that is already innate to her because she has grown up in it.
Kyle: For me especially, I stepped in as a son-in-law not understanding the depth of history, the importance of succession, and what it means to keep a family business going for over a century. That grew on me very quickly and eventually became something that I wanted to uphold. For Kirsten to feel that same passion and continue the legacy, I think is really exciting. We weren’t going to allow that to happen until they [children] felt they were ready to take it on. She’s already shown at a young age how much she can contribute to the business.
Jorja: She’s also seen how much hard work it takes. That hasn’t steered her away yet!
Kathy: My concern was that Kirsten would say “yes” to the opportunity without really wanting to. It has to be something you’re passionate about.
Jorja: This is probably an earlier opportunity than we expected, but with Carson’s move and since the membership is really the heart of our business, we felt it was a great way for her to get a good understanding of the business as a whole.
What does “sixth generation” mean to you?
Jorja: Not only is it a legacy and a history, but each generation has added something to it. My great great grandfather bought the property, and then my great-grandfather planted crops on it. They would have never expected it to be what it is now, but all of those pieces were important in laying the foundation. Everyone has contributed their piece.
Kathy: All in God’s timing. All of your guys’ [Kyle and Jorja] hard work has made it happen.
Kyle: Succession is very difficult. Most families don’t get past the second generation with a family business, but our family is unique in that all of the generations have tenacity engrained. It is a true testimony to the American dream. We are continuing the legacy.
When you hear the term “family-owned” what meaning does it hold?
Kathy: It means everything to me, but I don’t know any different. I got married at 19 so I became a farmer right away. The most important thing to me is family, period. So it is truly a blessing to be able to work with family.
Jorja: A family business is different because you’re building for the future, you’re not building for next year’s return. It’s a long-term plan and investment, so you make your decisions differently. We also make decisions based on how we would want to be treated.
Kyle: We have a unique situation. We make decisions totally differently than many businesses. Even for people coming on board and our new members, it takes a while for them to understand why we make those choices. We’re building a foundation, not just growing numbers. It’s a different mindset. We hope that what we’re doing today will influence what’s happening 10 or 50 years from now.
Kirsten: For the wine club, it should be reassuring that we have a continued legacy. I hope it would be a sense of security for them and I want them to know that I’m super excited to step into this role and help serve them. I also think that it’s different because you come to work and leave work with your parents, and I feel grateful to be a part of it and grateful that they’ve entrusted me to be a part of it. It’s priceless.
Jorja: You know, club members are on this journey with us, and I think that is really special. We are still writing the story.
What is your vision for the wine club, and how do you plan on bringing this vision to life?
Kyle: Being the first generation that started the winery, the original business model was not primarily focused on our wine club. We intended to distribute wine, but economic pressures forced us to do something different. Human interaction and connection were very important to us. The wine club has now become the primary piece we focus on. We want to continue to grow and foster those connections. We have a niche that most wineries can’t really capture.
Kathy: Wine club members are family to us, and I think a lot of people really believe that they are. People want to feel special and if they can come and have one-on-one attention, it makes the wine taste better!
Jorja: Not only have we brought Kirsten on, but we have expanded the department. It is a growing membership department because we want to be even more intentional about how we increase our personalized touch in the wine club, for those beyond Lodi as well. We want to build the systems and build the team depth so that we can deliver that.
Kirsten: I believe that you might not remember the conversation you had or the wine you tasted, but you will remember the way you felt. Coming on as wine club manager, it is huge to provide our wine club members with that personal touch and customer service. We also have a whole team now to support them and be advocates for the club.
