How did you meet the owners of The Stomping Ground (an
urban winery in Gilroy with several premium wineries under
one roof) and negotiate a coveted spot there?
After buying our grapes and starting out, we needed a place to make
the wine. Through an article (written by the author of The Vine) I read
about Blended, A Winemakers Studio in Gilroy and talked to Jeff
Fadness, the winemaker at La Vie Dansante Wines. Jeff referred me
over to Jason Goelz, the winemaker at Jason-Stephens Winery who
was opening up The Stomping Ground in Gilroy. The stars aligned
and Calerrain joined the new venture.
What goals in winemaking are you still working to achieve?
Why are your club members loyal, what does your club
membership offer them?
The first thing is that we are a “user’s choice” club which means
that club members can select which of our wines to include in their
shipment. Secondly, we like to provide an education about our wines
so that people can learn about the different regions and appreciate
how place affects the taste of wine. We also offer a unique experience
as part of The Stomping Ground – where people can enjoy live music
on the weekend from spring through early fall.
Can you think of a recent favorite wine and food pairing or
what is your all-time food and wine pairing?
I am always striving to make that “perfect wine.” To me, the perfect
wine is one that is true to the varietal and that will evolve over the
years to become a wine worthy of life’s most cherished celebrations. Every Christmas Eve we celebrate Chantelle’s birthday with a delicious
dinner of fresh Dungeness crab, garlic fries and our own Chardonnay.
You were recently elected to be the president of the Wineries
of Santa Clara Valley Association. What goals do you hope to
achieve this year? We just celebrated our one-year anniversary of the winery and this
will be a big year for us. We will be releasing ten different wines
including Cabernet, Malbec, Albarino, Rosé, Chardonnay and Pinot
Noir, and expect to bottle 1,200 cases of wine. We want people to
pick and choose what they like and discover new wines. We are also
going to plant a vineyard in our one-acre backyard and turn it into a
club member event center. The rolling hills that surround us make this
a perfect spot for sipping and relaxing.
At one of the Association meetings last year, I commented that
I wanted to contribute, “somehow.” And that’s when they pushed me
into the soon-to-be-open president position. I felt that as a new person
in the Association I should contribute my time and pay some dues.
I have a lot to learn about the area and history of the Association.
The Association has grown and matured to the point that we now
have administrative support and a bookkeeper. Stacy Giannini, our
marketing director, is the heart and soul of the group and keeps us
focused. It is still surprising how many people in the Bay Area are
unaware of our Santa Clara Valley wineries. So for that reason, one
of our top goals is to get a sign posted on Southbound 101 saying,
“Welcome to Santa Clara Valley Wine Country.”
Any new releases or anything special on the horizon?
What is a major draw of our wine regions?
The chances of meeting the winemakers are pretty high. We are
what Napa/Sonoma were twenty-plus years ago. Our Santa Clara
Valley wine region has such a great story to tell: Sarah’s Vineyard
and their estate Pinot Noirs, Martin Ranch as a destination winery,
Lion Ranch, LaVie Dansante and Aver Family making beautiful Rhones.
And in addition to the large producers such as Guglielmo Winery
and Clos LaChance there are a number of small boutique wineries
making great wine—such as Calerrain.
Your wife, Chantelle, works as a pharmacist when she isn't
"dreaming about wine.” Any chance that Chantelle might one
day join the family business?
This is definitely in the works. With Chantelle’s experience working
with customers and managing people, we think she would be a great
fit as our tasting room and events manager.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
april/may 2019
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