Change is the only thing that stays the same, right? Some radical changes have been made by winemakers at times that changes their style of business permanently.
As a child born with the Generation X label I relish the inventive nature of those that were in the trenches in the early 80’s. Times came to sink or swim. One story of noteworthy success is that of Fred Schweiger. Fred established what has become a family legacy by chance. Back in 1960 there happened to be a landlocked parcel of land adjacent to his parents property that was offered for sale. Fred worked arduously in construction through times where work was hard to find. In 1979-1980 they used the down time to clear the land for a vineyard. Those he hired were many out of work peers. In 1980-81 the laborious task of planting the vines was finished.
The choices that were made back in that time were a gamble. He had grapes to sell a few years later in the prestigious crest between Napa Valley and Sonoma.
“Winemaking is 1/3 science, 1/3 art and 1/3 craft.” Fred Schweiger
The evolution from that point on is no surprise. A family educated on making, marketing and selling wine stands strong with a successful Schweiger Wine label all their own. Today Fred still enjoys his foundation in construction as he builds each beautiful building on the property.
Another remarkable example today is growth that would never be taken on by most winemakers. For almost 30 years David Cocetti has made his wine from purchased grapes in Napa Valley. He has a long family history preceeding him making wine in Italy.
Where their story differs is the path the family has chosen to take to explode the business into something else. Winemaker turned Importer. While it isn’t obviously perceptible, the family now boasts a portfolio of over 80 wines imported from Argentina and Italy.
The uprising has been a monumental challenge with perpetual discoveries of law compliance in every new turn. What you can really appreciate about this small importer is the special wines they bring to the shelves here in the states. The wineries that hire them are often new to exporting. I was shown an example of an Argentinian Malbec that is literally only for sale in one liquor store in the state of Colorado. For the low price point it was an amazing value. It will be in more stores soon.
For me the pleasure is in the challenge of finding something rare, tasting something I have never had. If your wine interest is like mine, I think we should pay attention to what other discoveries they reveal. Personally I am intrigued.
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