The Grapevine: Washington State a standout in wine production
BY TIM DWIGHT • FOR FLORIDA TODAY • June 11, 2009
"I suspect that most wine drinkers would be a bit perplexed if asked to name the state with the second largest premium wine production in the U.S.; California is an easy guess for number one, but the wines of Washington State remain under the radar of most wine aficionados."
With that statement nearly five years ago, I began an initial column here in "The Grapevine" on Washington State wines. Much has changed in that time, and I'd offer with some certainty that the wines of this state have made significant inroads with the wine-consuming public.
Numbering 350 in '05, Washington recently celebrated its 600th opening, nearly doubling the size of bonded wineries in a remarkably short time. And while those numbers pale next to their southerly neighbors in California, they certainly represent significant growth -- in quality as well as quantity.
Large Washington operations like Columbia Crest, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Red Diamond and Hogue produce reliable bottlings in the everyday price range from $8 to $15, and these brands challenge more established wineries from California for category dominance.
At the high end, it's a common sight to see cabernets, merlots and syrahs competing for top scores from the critics. As a point of emphasis, a small winery from Snohomish, Wash., specializing in cabernet sauvignon (Quilceda Creek) has managed to score 100 points in critic Robert Parker's Wine Advocate for 3 out of the past 4 vintages. (And the '04, a blot on the record that interrupted the run of perfection? It scored 99 points.)
No other winery -- in Napa, Bordeaux, Tuscany or elsewhere -- can come close to that pinnacle.
For many of us on the east coast, Washington conjures up rainy images of Seattle shorelines and endless pine forests, and there certainly is an element of truth to that vision. But that is also not where most of the state's wine industry is located.
The Cascade Mountain Range, running north to south, bisects the state, and the differences are dramatic as far as weather patterns and geography go. It's not uncommon for Seattle and the western part of the state to tally 50 inches of rain annual. But east of the Cascades in the grape-growing region that stretches across the 120 miles or so of southeastern Washington, they receive 8 to 12 inches a year.
Click here for article link and location.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Pick of the Vine: Blended red from Chile a crowd-pleasing bargain
Pick of the Vine: Blended red from Chile a crowd-pleasing bargain
BY TIM DWIGHT | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | June 4, 2009
View article here: www.floridatoday.com
Palo Alto 2007 Reserve red wine is this week's Pick of the Vine.
The wine industry in Chile, long the source for great bargains, most recently has labored under the shadow of its Andean neighbor, Argentina. The emergence of malbec on the world stage has led to unparalleled growth for this latter country while Chilean imports have slowed perceptibly. But never underestimate the resourcefulness of this westernmost country in South America; well-established large-scale wine producers dominate the industry there, and they've begun to flex their muscles.
Concha Y Toro is one of the formidable conglomerates in Chile, and we all have seen -- and likely tasted -- its wines, which are omnipresent on grocery store shelves around our country.
Palo Alto is a new line of bargain-priced wines from parent Concha Y Toro, and they are based around the burgeoning vineyards in Chile's Maule Valley region.
Blending is one thing the Chileans do well, and the Palo Alto Reserve is a combination of 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 15 percent syrah, and 30 percent carmenere. The resulting red is a medium-bodied, versatile crowd-pleaser with notes of blueberry, cassis, and dried tobacco leaf. The oak contributes back-end, finishing flavors of cedar and dried thyme, making the Palo Alto a fitting companion to burgers, pizza or barbecue.
Approximate retail price of the Palo Alto is $10 to $11; distribution in our area is through Premier Beverage Imports.
BY TIM DWIGHT | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | June 4, 2009
View article here: www.floridatoday.com
Palo Alto 2007 Reserve red wine is this week's Pick of the Vine.
The wine industry in Chile, long the source for great bargains, most recently has labored under the shadow of its Andean neighbor, Argentina. The emergence of malbec on the world stage has led to unparalleled growth for this latter country while Chilean imports have slowed perceptibly. But never underestimate the resourcefulness of this westernmost country in South America; well-established large-scale wine producers dominate the industry there, and they've begun to flex their muscles.
Concha Y Toro is one of the formidable conglomerates in Chile, and we all have seen -- and likely tasted -- its wines, which are omnipresent on grocery store shelves around our country.
Palo Alto is a new line of bargain-priced wines from parent Concha Y Toro, and they are based around the burgeoning vineyards in Chile's Maule Valley region.
Blending is one thing the Chileans do well, and the Palo Alto Reserve is a combination of 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 15 percent syrah, and 30 percent carmenere. The resulting red is a medium-bodied, versatile crowd-pleaser with notes of blueberry, cassis, and dried tobacco leaf. The oak contributes back-end, finishing flavors of cedar and dried thyme, making the Palo Alto a fitting companion to burgers, pizza or barbecue.
Approximate retail price of the Palo Alto is $10 to $11; distribution in our area is through Premier Beverage Imports.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Pick of the Vine: This Riesling a fine summer sipper
Pick of the Vine: This Riesling a fine summer sipper
BY TIM DWIGHT • FOR FLORIDA TODAY • May 28, 2009
View article here: www.floridatoday.com
The 2008 Kung Fu Girl Riesling from Charles Smith Wines is this week's selection.
With Memorial Day behind us, we've moved into our summer weather cycle: hot, humid and plenty of rain. Wine drinking habits invariably will change as well; time to lighten up and check out what's new in whites.
The fun and frisky Kung Fu Girl qualifies on both counts. Riesling finally has begun an inevitable comeback from varietal geek-dom, and all the stats on wine consumption say the grape is on a roll.
That's roll, as in rock 'n' roll, which fits the style -- and producer -- of this particular wine. Vintner Charles Smith returned to the wine business several years ago after spending more than a decade managing rock groups in northern Europe. His nontraditional approach to winemaking, "the modernist project," in his words, has generated quite a bit of buzz among the critics and wine press.
Smith has established his miniempire (and more on that in a future "The Grapevine" column) in the Walla Walla region of southeastern Washington State. He's sourcing grapes from throughout the best growing sites of that region as well as along the Columbia River Valley.
The Evergreen Vineyard lies along the steep cliffs above the river, and the climate allows the grapes to mature well into the season until harvest in late October.
Varietal character, similar to a classic Mosel-style riesling, is clean and fruity as fermentation and aging occur in stainless steel. The resulting wine is an intense and nervy white, with aromas of apricots, peaches and pears. Crisp with just a slight edge of sweetness from the fruit, the Kung Fu Girl will pair well with summer salads, Asian cuisine and sushi.
But this is one wine that will please poolside loungers as well; no need to go into fighting mode to enjoy this Kung Fu Girl.
BY TIM DWIGHT • FOR FLORIDA TODAY • May 28, 2009
View article here: www.floridatoday.com
The 2008 Kung Fu Girl Riesling from Charles Smith Wines is this week's selection.
With Memorial Day behind us, we've moved into our summer weather cycle: hot, humid and plenty of rain. Wine drinking habits invariably will change as well; time to lighten up and check out what's new in whites.
The fun and frisky Kung Fu Girl qualifies on both counts. Riesling finally has begun an inevitable comeback from varietal geek-dom, and all the stats on wine consumption say the grape is on a roll.
That's roll, as in rock 'n' roll, which fits the style -- and producer -- of this particular wine. Vintner Charles Smith returned to the wine business several years ago after spending more than a decade managing rock groups in northern Europe. His nontraditional approach to winemaking, "the modernist project," in his words, has generated quite a bit of buzz among the critics and wine press.
Smith has established his miniempire (and more on that in a future "The Grapevine" column) in the Walla Walla region of southeastern Washington State. He's sourcing grapes from throughout the best growing sites of that region as well as along the Columbia River Valley.
The Evergreen Vineyard lies along the steep cliffs above the river, and the climate allows the grapes to mature well into the season until harvest in late October.
Varietal character, similar to a classic Mosel-style riesling, is clean and fruity as fermentation and aging occur in stainless steel. The resulting wine is an intense and nervy white, with aromas of apricots, peaches and pears. Crisp with just a slight edge of sweetness from the fruit, the Kung Fu Girl will pair well with summer salads, Asian cuisine and sushi.
But this is one wine that will please poolside loungers as well; no need to go into fighting mode to enjoy this Kung Fu Girl.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
The Grapevine: Wine clubs make their mark
The Grapevine: Wine clubs make their mark
TIM DWIGHT | THE GRAPEVINE | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | May 21, 2009
Link to full article: http://m.floridatoday.com/detail.jsp?key=212230&full=1
These tough economic times have led many a business owner to examine all aspects of their operations in an attempt to remain profitable.
The wine business is no different.
Despite recent national sales figures that show wine consumption continues to grow by about 2 percent, there's been a paradigm shift in the buying patterns of the vast majority of customers: They're spending less.
Discounts and bargains have become increasingly important and lead retailers to explore new avenues of revenue. For me, it was the (long procrastinated-over) decision to start a retail wine club.
I quickly learned that wine clubs can be divided into two sorts: national level clubs that ship selections from a central warehouse location, and local clubs that require customers to stop in and pick up the bottles.
The basic concept of these clubs works the same; you pay a monthly membership and usually receive two bottles of wine. You also can receive a discount on additional wine purchases.
Proclaiming to be the largest wine club of its kind in the United States, the folks at Gold Medal Wine Club have a dazzling Web site with all sorts of opportunities for consumers. There's the basic gold level, two bottles for $34 plus tax and shipping each month, followed by the increasingly costly platinum, diamond and international series, which can set you back $159 to $189 per shipment. (The highest-priced selections come quarterly rather than monthly.)
The large-scale wine club at Gold Medal certainly seems to be a commendable operation, though it left me with a few nagging thoughts:
With thousands of members receiving wine, wouldn't all wine selections have to come from large-production wineries? And how does shipping work in the dog days of summer? Not a problem if you live close to the west coast, where most of the clubs originate, but it's a long way to our sunny shores in Florida.
Anyway, the folks at Gold Medal were light-years away from what I had in mind for my retail store in Indian Harbour Beach. My pubescent club efforts would be focused on local operations; no shipping needed.
I decided to contact some friends in the business in Orlando.
Tim Varan's Tim's Wine Market has been around for nearly two decades. It's on Orange Avenue with picturesque views of Lake Ivanhoe across the street. It has had a locals wine club since 2004, and with the addition of two franchise operations in Lakeland and Windemere, is now up to nearly 500 members.
"We were probably the first ones in Central Florida to have a wine club," said Steve Butler, Tim's longtime manager, "and it was just a natural extension of what we'd been doing already. And although we've grown quite a bit over the years, we're still able to focus on small production wines that we feel represent great value to our members."
Tim and his staff alternate between two reds one month and a red and white the next.
In Brevard County, WineStyles, a franchise wine operation at The Avenues in Viera, has had a wine club since its inception in 2005.
"The club structure comes with the franchise package from the parent corporation," said manager Mike Bennett. "The wine selections are made at a national level by an associated board of sommeliers and trade professionals."
But occasionally, Bennett and owners' Manuel and Maria Rosales will override the selections to focus on something they particularly enjoy.
"We've got the flexibility to go locally or smaller production when we need it," Bennett said.
TIM DWIGHT | THE GRAPEVINE | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | May 21, 2009
Link to full article: http://m.floridatoday.com/detail.jsp?key=212230&full=1
These tough economic times have led many a business owner to examine all aspects of their operations in an attempt to remain profitable.
The wine business is no different.
Despite recent national sales figures that show wine consumption continues to grow by about 2 percent, there's been a paradigm shift in the buying patterns of the vast majority of customers: They're spending less.
Discounts and bargains have become increasingly important and lead retailers to explore new avenues of revenue. For me, it was the (long procrastinated-over) decision to start a retail wine club.
I quickly learned that wine clubs can be divided into two sorts: national level clubs that ship selections from a central warehouse location, and local clubs that require customers to stop in and pick up the bottles.
The basic concept of these clubs works the same; you pay a monthly membership and usually receive two bottles of wine. You also can receive a discount on additional wine purchases.
Proclaiming to be the largest wine club of its kind in the United States, the folks at Gold Medal Wine Club have a dazzling Web site with all sorts of opportunities for consumers. There's the basic gold level, two bottles for $34 plus tax and shipping each month, followed by the increasingly costly platinum, diamond and international series, which can set you back $159 to $189 per shipment. (The highest-priced selections come quarterly rather than monthly.)
The large-scale wine club at Gold Medal certainly seems to be a commendable operation, though it left me with a few nagging thoughts:
With thousands of members receiving wine, wouldn't all wine selections have to come from large-production wineries? And how does shipping work in the dog days of summer? Not a problem if you live close to the west coast, where most of the clubs originate, but it's a long way to our sunny shores in Florida.
Anyway, the folks at Gold Medal were light-years away from what I had in mind for my retail store in Indian Harbour Beach. My pubescent club efforts would be focused on local operations; no shipping needed.
I decided to contact some friends in the business in Orlando.
Tim Varan's Tim's Wine Market has been around for nearly two decades. It's on Orange Avenue with picturesque views of Lake Ivanhoe across the street. It has had a locals wine club since 2004, and with the addition of two franchise operations in Lakeland and Windemere, is now up to nearly 500 members.
"We were probably the first ones in Central Florida to have a wine club," said Steve Butler, Tim's longtime manager, "and it was just a natural extension of what we'd been doing already. And although we've grown quite a bit over the years, we're still able to focus on small production wines that we feel represent great value to our members."
Tim and his staff alternate between two reds one month and a red and white the next.
In Brevard County, WineStyles, a franchise wine operation at The Avenues in Viera, has had a wine club since its inception in 2005.
"The club structure comes with the franchise package from the parent corporation," said manager Mike Bennett. "The wine selections are made at a national level by an associated board of sommeliers and trade professionals."
But occasionally, Bennett and owners' Manuel and Maria Rosales will override the selections to focus on something they particularly enjoy.
"We've got the flexibility to go locally or smaller production when we need it," Bennett said.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Pick of the Vine: Rediscover white wine
Pick of the Vine: Rediscover white wine
TIM DWIGHT | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | May 14, 2009
View article here: www.floridatoday.com
Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose 2008 is this week's selection for Pick of the Vine.
Temperatures have certainly heated up locally, a fact which is bound to alter our dining patterns. A little less pasta and cream, a little more fish and chicken, and what better place than out on the grill. Even red meat dishes stand a good chance of moving outdoors, and the wine to match. Well, it's a great time to rediscover white wines.
Can't quite fathom chardonnay with burgers and barbecue, but still longing for something you can chill down? Think pink. Technically, you're still drinking a red wine of course (with the skins removed before fementation), and in the case of the Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, a wine that'll pare well with all sorts of cuisine.
The Mulderbosch winery comes from Stellenbosch in South Africa, and these folks know a bit about which wines to enjoy with warm weather food. All New World styling at 13.5 percent alcohol, this rose first grabs attention with its deep rose petal coloring. Floral and spicy on the nose, the cabernet begins to assert itself in the body and depth of the texture. Cranberry, cassis and cherry flavors have been fermented dry, and the residual sugar in this wine is minimal.
Imported by Cape Classic Imports, and distributed locally through Opici Wine Company. Local retail will be about $10 to $11.
TIM DWIGHT | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | May 14, 2009
View article here: www.floridatoday.com
Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose 2008 is this week's selection for Pick of the Vine.
Temperatures have certainly heated up locally, a fact which is bound to alter our dining patterns. A little less pasta and cream, a little more fish and chicken, and what better place than out on the grill. Even red meat dishes stand a good chance of moving outdoors, and the wine to match. Well, it's a great time to rediscover white wines.
Can't quite fathom chardonnay with burgers and barbecue, but still longing for something you can chill down? Think pink. Technically, you're still drinking a red wine of course (with the skins removed before fementation), and in the case of the Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, a wine that'll pare well with all sorts of cuisine.
The Mulderbosch winery comes from Stellenbosch in South Africa, and these folks know a bit about which wines to enjoy with warm weather food. All New World styling at 13.5 percent alcohol, this rose first grabs attention with its deep rose petal coloring. Floral and spicy on the nose, the cabernet begins to assert itself in the body and depth of the texture. Cranberry, cassis and cherry flavors have been fermented dry, and the residual sugar in this wine is minimal.
Imported by Cape Classic Imports, and distributed locally through Opici Wine Company. Local retail will be about $10 to $11.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Pick of the Vine: Terra Andina a fruity and delightfully rich red
Pick of the Vine: Terra Andina a fruity and delightfully rich red
TIM DWIGHT | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | May 07, 2009
View full article here: www.floridatoday.com
The Terra Andina Carmenere Reserva 2007 is this week's selection for Pick of the Vine.
Malbecs from the eastern side of the Andes in Argentina have (deservedly) received quite a bit of attention during the past several years; stick with me here as we head west over the mountains to the Rapel Valley in neighboring Chile.
As malbec is to Argentina, the carmenere grape is to the mountainous growing regions of the western Andes. This latter grape represents an opportunity for the Chilean wine industry to re-establish its reputation with a unique varietal that is rarely planted elsewhere around the world.
Known sometimes as "the lost grape of Bordeaux," carmenere originated, as did malbec, in the southeastern regions of France. But whereas malbec continues to be grown in its home country, carmenere is all but extinct throughout Bordeaux and the Loire Valley.
Fortunately for wine lovers, the grape migrated during its heyday down to South America, along with the other five Bordeaux varietals: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, cab franc and malbec.
Carmenere has been thriving in the central grape-growing regions of Chile for more than 100 years, but its success as a stand-alone varietal is a relatively recent development. Imports to the United States have increased dramatically during the past decade, and carmenere is no longer a stranger to wine isles in the local market.
Terra Andina, owned by the much-larger Santa Rita winery in Santiago, Chile, produces a line of affordable carmeneres that appear with some regularity in our local area. Their "regular" bottling can be found for less than $10 a bottle, but I'd urge readers to search out this winery's "Reserva," of which 2007 is the current vintage. This upper-tier bottling will cost another $2 or so, and it's worth every penny.
For more of this article, click here.
TIM DWIGHT | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | May 07, 2009
View full article here: www.floridatoday.com
The Terra Andina Carmenere Reserva 2007 is this week's selection for Pick of the Vine.
Malbecs from the eastern side of the Andes in Argentina have (deservedly) received quite a bit of attention during the past several years; stick with me here as we head west over the mountains to the Rapel Valley in neighboring Chile.
As malbec is to Argentina, the carmenere grape is to the mountainous growing regions of the western Andes. This latter grape represents an opportunity for the Chilean wine industry to re-establish its reputation with a unique varietal that is rarely planted elsewhere around the world.
Known sometimes as "the lost grape of Bordeaux," carmenere originated, as did malbec, in the southeastern regions of France. But whereas malbec continues to be grown in its home country, carmenere is all but extinct throughout Bordeaux and the Loire Valley.
Fortunately for wine lovers, the grape migrated during its heyday down to South America, along with the other five Bordeaux varietals: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, cab franc and malbec.
Carmenere has been thriving in the central grape-growing regions of Chile for more than 100 years, but its success as a stand-alone varietal is a relatively recent development. Imports to the United States have increased dramatically during the past decade, and carmenere is no longer a stranger to wine isles in the local market.
Terra Andina, owned by the much-larger Santa Rita winery in Santiago, Chile, produces a line of affordable carmeneres that appear with some regularity in our local area. Their "regular" bottling can be found for less than $10 a bottle, but I'd urge readers to search out this winery's "Reserva," of which 2007 is the current vintage. This upper-tier bottling will cost another $2 or so, and it's worth every penny.
For more of this article, click here.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Grapevine: Cellar dwellars: Part-time Merritt Island residents own California winery
Cellar dwellars: Part-time Merritt Island residents own California winery
TIM DWIGHT | THE GRAPEVINE | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | April 02, 2009
View full article here: http://floridatoday.mlogic.mobi/detail.jsp?key=193507&rc=li&full=1
It's a long way from Brevard County to a boutique winery in San Francisco. But it's an adventurous journey Charles and Julie Atkins have enjoyed.
Julie, who graduated from Rockledge High School "sometime in the '80s," and Charles, an Alabama native, began 5 Points Cellars in 2006.
They met in the 5 Points neighborhood of Birmingham, Ala., in 1989 after he had finished school at Auburn and she at Georgia Tech. Eight weeks' later, Charles was proposing over the pilot's PA system on an Eastern Airlines flight to Orlando to meet Julie's parents.
Dreams of a winery were pretty farfetched at that point, and the need for some adventure led Chuck and Julie to travel to more than 30 countries during the next 18 years.
In 2005, they headed to California to start their winery.
"Please call me Chuck," Charles said, when I met him. He had several bottles of wine in tow. "We don't officially have any of our wines in Florida yet, but I had some at the house, and I hope you don't mind tasting."
Not a problem, I assured him, grabbing my trusty corkscrew so we could begin the research.
Having visited the 5 Points Cellars Web site, I was somewhat familiar with the wines the Atkins produce. There was a chardonnay, a pinot noir, a syrah and a couple cabernets, all sourced from grapes grown in distinctly separate viticultural regions.
"We're going to be adding another pinot, most likely from Oregon, and a cab-based blend from Washington, too," Chuck said.
Very impressive, I thought, but how the heck are they going to cover that much territory? Most producers either grow or purchase grapes from an area close to their winery.
"Well, that's both the tough part and the easy part," Chuck said. "We are purchasing grapes from some pretty good sources, but we've got no actual winery -- yet."
The 5 Points wines are produced with the assistance of the Atkins' winemakers at a custom "crush" facility in San Francisco.
"They're actually located just down the street from where we stay when we're out west," Chuck said. "That's really how this whole thing got started."
Mindful of the old axiom that "the quickest way to make a small fortune in the wine business is to start with a large fortune," the couple explored different business opportunities during their travels. Chuck's entrepreneurial spirit led to a successful start-up in the medical devices field, while Julie began a career with Jabil Electronics, currently as director of business development.
"It's a bit ironic that Julie's company is based in St. Petersburg, and mine in Fort Lauderdale," Chuck said. "We still travel quite a bit, as it is important to keep our day jobs, as we refer to them. But now that we've begun 5 Points, that's home for us, too, as well." As of now, production for wines is limited to several hundred cases, but eventual growth is the game plan. And now that he and Julie are making more wine than they -- or their friends' on both coasts -- can hope to consume, "it's time to get serious," Chuck said.
One of his missions on the recent trip was to begin the search for a distributor in Florida. The 5 Points Anderson Valley 2007 Pinot Noir has just received 90 points in Wine Enthusiast magazine, and 91 points in Wine Spectator, which has led to national demand. But as much as I enjoyed that particular wine, the two cabernet sauvignon bottlings blew me away in the tasting.
The 2006 Oakville-designated cab retails for approximately $75 from the winery. Production was only 50 cases, and the grapes were grown in the famed Beckstoffer-Tokalon vineyard, the source of some of Napa Valley's top cabernets. I've seen -- and sold -- wines from that vineyard for $150 to $200 dollars. Top-notch grapes, and a fine effort from winemaker Kian Tavakoli; softer red and black berry flavors but some substantial barrel tannins from the new French oak.
Chuck and Julie are active in the entire winemaking process, from grape selection to working with the juice in the winery, though the experienced Tavakoli makes their cabs and Chris Nelson the 5 Points pinots.
My favorite wine of the tasting however was the 2006 Howell Mountain bottling ($60). All mountain fruit; 100 percent cabernet sauvignon from the Ink Grade vineyard, though surprisingly accessible for such a young wine. And alas, just 50 cases of this beauty as well.
In Brevard, we are just going to have to wait for more accessibility -- and a deal with an eventual distributor.
"Julie spends more time here with her folks still living in the area," Chuck said. "She's an active partner, and she'll be doing some of the leg work while I'm gone."
"I grew up in locally and lived in Brevard for many years," she said.
She still has friends in the area. They hope to eventually be able to offer some tastings locally, and given the quality of the wine, I hope I'm first in line.
TIM DWIGHT | THE GRAPEVINE | FOR FLORIDA TODAY | April 02, 2009
View full article here: http://floridatoday.mlogic.mobi/detail.jsp?key=193507&rc=li&full=1
It's a long way from Brevard County to a boutique winery in San Francisco. But it's an adventurous journey Charles and Julie Atkins have enjoyed.
Julie, who graduated from Rockledge High School "sometime in the '80s," and Charles, an Alabama native, began 5 Points Cellars in 2006.
They met in the 5 Points neighborhood of Birmingham, Ala., in 1989 after he had finished school at Auburn and she at Georgia Tech. Eight weeks' later, Charles was proposing over the pilot's PA system on an Eastern Airlines flight to Orlando to meet Julie's parents.
Dreams of a winery were pretty farfetched at that point, and the need for some adventure led Chuck and Julie to travel to more than 30 countries during the next 18 years.
In 2005, they headed to California to start their winery.
"Please call me Chuck," Charles said, when I met him. He had several bottles of wine in tow. "We don't officially have any of our wines in Florida yet, but I had some at the house, and I hope you don't mind tasting."
Not a problem, I assured him, grabbing my trusty corkscrew so we could begin the research.
Having visited the 5 Points Cellars Web site, I was somewhat familiar with the wines the Atkins produce. There was a chardonnay, a pinot noir, a syrah and a couple cabernets, all sourced from grapes grown in distinctly separate viticultural regions.
"We're going to be adding another pinot, most likely from Oregon, and a cab-based blend from Washington, too," Chuck said.
Very impressive, I thought, but how the heck are they going to cover that much territory? Most producers either grow or purchase grapes from an area close to their winery.
"Well, that's both the tough part and the easy part," Chuck said. "We are purchasing grapes from some pretty good sources, but we've got no actual winery -- yet."
The 5 Points wines are produced with the assistance of the Atkins' winemakers at a custom "crush" facility in San Francisco.
"They're actually located just down the street from where we stay when we're out west," Chuck said. "That's really how this whole thing got started."
Mindful of the old axiom that "the quickest way to make a small fortune in the wine business is to start with a large fortune," the couple explored different business opportunities during their travels. Chuck's entrepreneurial spirit led to a successful start-up in the medical devices field, while Julie began a career with Jabil Electronics, currently as director of business development.
"It's a bit ironic that Julie's company is based in St. Petersburg, and mine in Fort Lauderdale," Chuck said. "We still travel quite a bit, as it is important to keep our day jobs, as we refer to them. But now that we've begun 5 Points, that's home for us, too, as well." As of now, production for wines is limited to several hundred cases, but eventual growth is the game plan. And now that he and Julie are making more wine than they -- or their friends' on both coasts -- can hope to consume, "it's time to get serious," Chuck said.
One of his missions on the recent trip was to begin the search for a distributor in Florida. The 5 Points Anderson Valley 2007 Pinot Noir has just received 90 points in Wine Enthusiast magazine, and 91 points in Wine Spectator, which has led to national demand. But as much as I enjoyed that particular wine, the two cabernet sauvignon bottlings blew me away in the tasting.
The 2006 Oakville-designated cab retails for approximately $75 from the winery. Production was only 50 cases, and the grapes were grown in the famed Beckstoffer-Tokalon vineyard, the source of some of Napa Valley's top cabernets. I've seen -- and sold -- wines from that vineyard for $150 to $200 dollars. Top-notch grapes, and a fine effort from winemaker Kian Tavakoli; softer red and black berry flavors but some substantial barrel tannins from the new French oak.
Chuck and Julie are active in the entire winemaking process, from grape selection to working with the juice in the winery, though the experienced Tavakoli makes their cabs and Chris Nelson the 5 Points pinots.
My favorite wine of the tasting however was the 2006 Howell Mountain bottling ($60). All mountain fruit; 100 percent cabernet sauvignon from the Ink Grade vineyard, though surprisingly accessible for such a young wine. And alas, just 50 cases of this beauty as well.
In Brevard, we are just going to have to wait for more accessibility -- and a deal with an eventual distributor.
"Julie spends more time here with her folks still living in the area," Chuck said. "She's an active partner, and she'll be doing some of the leg work while I'm gone."
"I grew up in locally and lived in Brevard for many years," she said.
She still has friends in the area. They hope to eventually be able to offer some tastings locally, and given the quality of the wine, I hope I'm first in line.
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