Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/118688
F Claude Ruau-Choate, Wine Buyer for Whole Foods Market in Southern California. or Claude Ruau-Choate, Specialty Coordinator for Whole Foods Market in Southern California, wine runs through her veins. Born and raised in France, Claude hails from three generations of winemakers from the Entre-Deux-Mers in Bordeaux. By the age of eight, Claude's parents were taking her to wine shows. Her first job however wasn't in the family cellar, but rather working in a specialtyfoods store preparing caviar and foie gras. An adventure-seeker, Claude left France for the U.S. and by the time she was 22, had worked at The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, completed the Sommelier program at UCLA, and returned to France to complete her studies. She arrived back in the U.S., taking a job in 1996 managing staff at the now-closed Rustica in Beverly Hills. By 1997, Claude heard that Whole Foods Market's Southern Pacific region was looking to hire someone to develop its wine program. She applied and got the job. Today, Claude oversees 48 stores for the company's Southern Pacific division—the largest division in the company—which includes stores in California from Santa Barbara south, as well as locations across Hawaii, Las Vegas and Arizona. Supporting Local Growers The major tenet driving Claude's curatorial philosophy has been supporting local growers. Her efforts have led to a very successful collaboration with noted Santa Barbara producers The Hitching Post and Jim Clendenon's Au Bon Climat, which resulted in a program dubbed "One Wine." The initiative offers Whole Foods Market consumers an entry-level price point wine from a well-known producer, as a means of encouraging discovery of single vineyard and high-end products from these wineries. The wines boast simple labels with distinct primary colors, differentiating each producer, and sell for under $20 a bottle. As a result of the pro- gram's success, sales for Santa Barbara wines have grown close to 40 percent in the four years since the program's inception. The program also helps foster a connection between Whole Foods Market team members and producers; team members even help blend the wines. Anticipating a trend in bubbly, Claude launched the "Get Fizzy with It" campaign showcasing sparklers under $20, enticing people to "drink bubbly outside the holidays, making a traditional meal seem extra special." Other ongoing programs include "Wines From," a seasonal spring series highlighting a specific region or country. Last year, Whole Foods Market's stores saw an increase in demand for rosé. Claude responded by launching a program in March of 2013 with The Hitching Post and Ampelos Cellars to produce a biodynamic rosé, now available in some Whole Foods Market stores in the Southern Pacific Region Team Empowerment For Claude, great wine requires teamwork, which is in line with Whole Foods Market's core values. "Success in the company is about empowering team members," she says, "giving them the opportunity to use their creativity and building trust and relationships with vendors and the community." This sense of collaboration led to the Homework Series, which, although not exclusive to Whole Foods Market, did prompt special brews from local San Diego and Orange County brewers, and which will be available in some Whole Foods Market stores. After 15 years with the company, Claude is humble about her success and speaks proudly about the collaborative, team-oriented environment at Whole Foods Market. "Our strength is in discovering brands . . . my taste is irrelevant, we have to maintain a wide and broad perspective and we need to know our customer." Devaux Champagne Champagne Devaux was founded in 1846 and has been owned by the growers who supply it since 1986. The 3,657 acres of vineyards is situated in the heart of the Côtes des Bar, known for producing some of the best Pinot Noir in the region. While Champagne's primary vineyard areas lie to the north, around the cities of Reims and Épernay, the Aube's vineyards, in the Côte des Bar, are closer to Dijon than to Reims. In fact, the primary soil of the Côte des Bar is not the Cretaceous chalk of the Marne, but the marl found in the vineyards of Chablis. Devaux is known for its fruity, full-character flavors—a delicate nature, a soft mousse and a translucent hue. Champagne Devaux on display at a Whole Foods Market store. april 2013 / the tasting panel / 109