INTERVIEWER
Schmidt, Rich
DURATION
1 hour 3 minutes 34 seconds
DATE
August 3, 2026
INTERVIEW SUMMARY
This interview is with Fiona FixMitchell & Marcus & Allie Hall of RainSong Vineyard. In this interview, the second generation of RainSong talk about growing up on the vineyard and taking over the family business.
Fiona and Allie talk about growing up on the vineyard and becoming involved in their parents’ dream. Their parents, Mike and Merry Fix, purchased the vineyard when Fiona was around 5 years old and before Allie was born. Growing up in the industry, the two remember going to wine events and festivals with their parents and helping out around the vineyard and winery. They believe RainSong is a magical place and were grateful that they could remain living on the property in their own houses.
Marcus discusses becoming involved with RainSong and eventually becoming their head winemaker. Marcus and Allie met in college, and when it was evident he would be sticking around, Mike started asking him to help out with little things around the winery, and bit by bit, he started teaching him how to make wine. His first harvest was in 2009 and after spending some time at RainSong, he was easily convinced to become a part of the business and lifestyle. Marcus claimed his first vintage as head winemaker in 2011 has been evolving in the role ever since.
Later in the interview, the three talk about the process of taking over the business. It was a smooth a gradual transition from the first generation to the second, but the three officially took over RainSong in 2019. Usually, a new generation brings lots of change, but the three want to maintain the feeling and friendliness that RainSong has always had. While they plan to keep the winery mostly the same, they have introduced new varietals and a wine club to stay up to date and relevant in the modern climate.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at RainSong Vineyard in Cheshire on August 3, 2026.
Interview photos
COMMENTS
Some oral history interviews are conducted on site and may contain background noise from nature, winery, or tasting room operations.