Hidden Gems: Meet Moya Dolsby of Idaho Wine Commission

Today we’d like to introduce you to Moya Dolsby. 

Hi Moya, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Born in Seattle, Washington, I grew up near Woodinville wine country. I have one sister who is three years younger. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two daughters. My parents were married for 27 years and got divorced after my sister left for college. Both of my parents still live in the Seattle area. I attended Monroe High School and was involved in my community. My last two years of high school, I missed a third of the year for the various clubs/boards I sat on. I still have a recurring dream that I don’t know where my classes are since I was gone so much. 

Growing up, I originally wanted to be an architect, then an attorney. I began working in the summers at the age of fifteen with my dad at the Office of Personnel Management. It wasn’t until after a three-year stint at the US Attorney’s office in undergrad did I find my wine calling. 

Trained in communication from the University of Washington, I started my wine journey as the event manager for the Washington Wine Commission, where I focused on developing and executing local and national events. When presented with a new challenge in 2008 of helping to promote Idaho wines, I knew I couldn’t refuse: the opportunity to change an industry was staring me right in the face. 

When not out-changing the perception of an entire industry, I enjoy traveling, skiing, camping, reading, cooking, and spending time with my family. My husband, Clint, is a wastewater engineer for the City of Meridian. We have two young boys who are eight and nine. We spend our time running them around to various activities and trying to wear them out. We have four dogs, a labradoodle, 2 little mutts, and a yellow lab. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m a pretty positive person by nature. However, everyone has struggles. It’s all about how you deal with them. For work, we have dealt with changing the wine excise tax structure, which was a huge battle and very political. There have been budget concerns, especially with COVID-19. I had to lay off an employee and have the remaining staff work less. 

Personally, I have had a ton of dental work that wasn’t fun, but now I think my smile looks pretty great. I did IVF and adopted a baby, both of which are big challenges, but I have two beautiful and smart sons. I guess it’s all about perspective. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Idaho Wine Commission?
I believe in change. I’ve seen it first hand in the wine industry here in Idaho; the change in awareness from consumers, a change in attitude from other industry and restaurant folks, and a change in the quality of the wine itself. Tasked with marketing and promoting all Idaho wineries and wine grape growers, I travel all over the country spreading the news about—and sampling—Idaho wine. There is nothing more inspiring than having someone ask me to try Idaho wine for the very first time. 

When I arrived in Idaho, there were 38 wineries. There wasn’t a map or a functional website to tell people how to find out more. It was my job to help organize, bring everyone together, and try to elevate the Idaho wine industry. Today, we have over 75 wineries with a budget of a little over a million dollars. We have an economic impact of $210 million dollars and are becoming a respected player in the wine world. 

What are your plans for the future?
There have been a lot of people moving to Idaho in the last three years. I’m excited to introduce Idaho wine to them. So far, all the new people have been very receptive to Idaho wine and proud of where they have moved. I think we are going to see big brands moving to Idaho to grow grapes and start wineries because we have access to water, land and are a great place to grow grapes. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://idahowines.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idahowines/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/idahowinecommission