The wine industry is full of people as quirky and diverse as the varietals they grow. Sometimes I count my (lack of) pennies and wonder why I stay in this business, and then I’ll take a tour or pick up some wine, talk to a winemaker and remember: it’s the people who keep me in this industry, even more than the fermented grapes.
Perhaps the quirkiest character I’ve met is Bill Cadman, the founder of the very first garage winery in Napa (established in 1975 before the Paris Wine Tasting). Back then he worked as a tour guide for Robert Mondavi until he was inspired by one drunken Sunday spent with friends and decided to turn the dilapidated buildings on his property into a winery. That Monday he went to the county to get an application for a winery permit. It was one page long, with an $80 filing fee.
Age has slowed Bill down physically, but his sense of humor and quick wit remain intact. One day I asked Bill if I could stop by the winery with my friend Michelle. I planned to bring a lunch that would pair with his wine (my secret passion). I spent the morning preparing foods for each of the wines I knew Bill would serve. When Michelle and I arrived, there was Bill at his front door, waiting to greet us in his customary sweat pants and Hawaiian shirt. I greeted Bill and said, “Hello, Bill, I brought lunch!” Without missing a beat, Bill looked right past me, stuck his hand out toward Michelle and said, “Hello, Lunch, I’m Bill — let’s eat!”
While age has given Bill a sharp sense of humor, youth has given an excited exuberance to Mark Blanchard, owner and proprietor of Blanchard Family Winery. Mark and his brother, James, mended their brotherly differences by starting a winery together. It sounds crazy, but for these brothers — a special-ops helicopter pilot for the Air Force (James) and a poet (Mark) — it works.
While Mark thinks in poetry, James thinks in algebra, but both are eager to jump on an opportunity. This is perfectly displayed in their “helicopter wine,” Red Scarf. James, who from the beginning used his experience and connections in the military to start their brand, called Mark one day and said, “Mark, we need to make a wine with a picture of the special-ops helicopter I used to fly. We will make this wine to honor the men and women of the special forces. A portion of the proceeds will go to help men and women who have been injured protecting this country, especially those in special ops. Now go make a wine that does justice to our military.” Mark hung up the phone and thought, “How the hell am I supposed to do that?” After giving the problem much thought, Mark saw an opportunity to do something he had been wanting to do for a long time: make an extremely diverse blend. He threw together everything he could find: Syrah, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Cabernet — something James wasn’t really on board for. But Mark knew it would be popular. He would wax poetic about how the special-ops mission uses personnel from every branch of the Department of Defense: the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, CIA, etc. People who usually don’t work together but can come together to complete a job, such as the special mission that resulted in the capturing and killing of Osama bin Laden. That’s what the the blend represents. Red Scarf became the Blanchard Family’s best-selling wine and has won many awards.
I have a deep respect for people who are not ashamed of who they are or where they come from. This is why I love the Robledos in Sonoma. Mr. Robledo came to Sonoma County from Michoacán, Mexico, in 1969 to work in the vineyards. His family was poor and not well educated, which motivated Mr. Robledo’s decision to move to Sonoma for work. With gumption, diligence and a knack for taking care of vines, Mr. Robledo eventually started his own vineyard management company, which did well enough so that he could buy his own vineyards. Today the Robledos farm 400 acres of their own vineyards.
Still, the Robledos have never forgotten their roots. Their tasting room looks like a Mexican hacienda, with a jukebox in the corner that plays banda. At family parties, they serve Buchanan’s whiskey and Squirt soda, a Mexican tradition. There is no pretense to the Robledos; they are Mexican and proud.
My favorite Robledo is Lazaro (a.k.a. Larry), the second-youngest of the nine Robledo children. He has an amazing sense of humor, with or without the help of wine. One day I texted Larry to ask if we could swing by the tasting room to pick up some wine. He texted back and said that his wife was in labor, so he couldn’t meet us at the winery, but we could swing by his house. We told him not to worry about it because he had bigger and better things to focus on. His reply was, “My wife will be in labor for a long time. She’s just in the house … come on by.”
When we arrived, he met us at the door and asked my husband if he wanted a beer. (It was 8:30 in the morning.) My husband, who is also Mexican, accepted. Larry walked over to a cooler in his yard, opened it and pulled out a couple of cold beers.
I believe it’s the story behind the bottle that matters when it comes to wine. In Napa and Sonoma, just about everyone makes good wine. I say, “Come for the wine, stay for the people.”
