BAKER CITY — Mary Miller’s eyes light up when her customer has questions about wine.

“My favorite group of people to work with are the new wine tasters,” she said. 

It wasn’t that long ago that she was on the other side of the counter, so Miller likes the chance to talk about wine and the characteristics of different varieties — all knowledge she acquired first by working at Copper Belt tasting room in Baker City, and now as she studies to be a sommelier.

That French word simply means a “wine steward,” and is one who specializes in all aspects of wine.

Miller’s story, and the journey that led her to this new passion, was recently featured in Craft Mtn, described as a “free zine dedicated to Northwest culture.” Miller said this issue of the magazine had a theme of new beginnings.

From east to west

Miller grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Although she had a busy and active childhood — reading and swimming at an early age, playing music by 13 and learning to fly at 15 — she said she saw only two options for adulthood: teaching or nursing.

She became a nurse. Over her 31-year career she worked in intensive care at a burn center, in cardiac care, and the last four years in a rehab facility.

Miller retired from nursing in 2013 and moved to Baker City with her husband, Don.

“I took five years off,” she said. “I read, gardened, got the house in shape.”

Then she attended wine tastings at Copper Belt Winery in Baker City, and when an opening for a sales associate was posted, she applied.

“Then I really fell in love with wine,” she said. “I’d go out to the winery, picked grapes, sorted grapes, helped bottle. I wanted to see all aspects of the wine process.”

Copper Belt’s vineyard is in Keating, about 20 miles east of Baker City. The winery’s tasting room is downtown, at 1937 Main St. Copper Belt is a family business — Travis Cook is the winemaker, and he’s joined in the vineyard venture by his wife, Krista, and his parents, Michael and Cathy. The original vineyard is planted near the home of his grandpa, Elton.

Last year, 2023, was the 20th growing season for the estate vineyard.

Working with customers

Working in customer service came easy thanks to Miller’s three decades as a nurse where she honed her interpersonal skills.

“You have to establish a rapport in two minutes,” she said of nursing.

Although greeting customers at Copper Belt isn’t quite the same — the lack of medical procedures, for instance — she is still quick to strike up a conversation.

“I have to connect with them,” she said.

Conversations help her understand a customer’s likes and dislikes, and then she can help recommend a wine that might appeal to the customer’s palate.

The next step

Miller decided she wanted to learn more about wine, and in December 2022 she took an online level one sommelier course.

“I did really well and learned a lot,” she said.

Then she gave herself a blind taste test.

“I’d wrap the labels and try to tell the difference,” she said. “I’d get it wrong every time.”

Wanting to learn more, Miller found the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Although WSET is based in London, The Wine and Spirit Archive in Portland administers the trust’s educational course. She signed up for the level two course.

“You study the book intensely then go to a two-day class,” she said.

They tasted 42 wines across a range of price tags, then she took a monitored online test.

Miller passed with distinction, and earned her level two award.

“I could have stopped there,” she said. “Travis asked me what I wanted to do. I want to keep going.”

Now she’s studying for the level three course, which will culminate with a Monday-through-Friday course in early June that includes tasting 92 wines from around the world.

Then she’ll take a two-hour test and face a blind taste-test that requires her to identify characteristics of the wine.

“One red and one white — from those 92 wines,” she said.

A help in her job

Miller’s hours and hours of studying minute details of grapes and everything involved in making wine has helped in her job behind the counter at Copper Belt.

“It’s given me a confidence in talking about wine,” she said. “I’m really able to help people find wine approachable.”

She writes up tasting notes for Copper Belt’s various wines, and also works with Cody Cook — Travis’ sister and owner of The Cheese Fairy cheese shop, which shares space with Copper Belt — on pairing wines with cheeses.

In early February, they offered “A Stilton Soiree” that featured stilton cheese with Copper Belt’s port-style dessert wine.

“I’ve always loved remarkable food,” Miller said. “The whole point of wine is to share, talk and have a good time.”

Miller works Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Copper Belt.

But “work” may not be the best word.

“This is not a job — it’s a passion,” she said.

And she thinks Copper Belt, along with The Cheese Fairy, is special.

“How many places are like this in America? Probably none,” she said with a smile.

More adventures

When Miller isn’t behind the counter at Copper Belt, she is often out on adventures — or planning her next one.

She started mountain biking when she was 53, and after moving to Eastern Oregon she’s explored many trails on foot, including a six-day backpack through the North Fork John Day Wilderness. Her next adventure will take her into the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

But the hiking must wait until the snow melts.

And besides, she has to study.