Solis Winery offers a few Italian varietals, such as Barbera,
Sangiovese and Fiano, which are wines that are rarely seen
elsewhere. Does your Italian heritage help guide you in
offering these rich, bold wines?
These Italian varietals were derived from my father’s and my uncle’s
philosophy. They planted these grapes and found them to be successful so
they continued to produce them.
All of the grapes that go into your wines are estate grown. How
do you/did you decide which varietals to plant and produce?
We decided to grow grapes that people are familiar with, with our Fiano
(white varietal) being an exception. We like to plant grapes that yield small
but high-quality lots of wine.
How many planted acres do you have? How many gallons or
cases of wine per year do you produce?
Our twenty-one acres of vineyards produce 6,000 cases of wine per year.
We are considered a small winery compared to other, larger California
wineries. However, we are one of the larger “boutique” wineries in the lo-
cal region (A boutique winery is generally defined as producing fewer than
10,000 cases per year).
What are the challenges of being open seven days a week,
365 days a year?
Our members enjoy long-term connections, member-centric events (such
as our catered barrel tastings) and consistent wines at great values.
To be honest, being open to the public 361 days a year is brutal (Said
with a chuckle). The daily demands never end. Keeping the wines stocked,
tracking sales and most of all, providing a great experience to our
customers takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work. Thank God we have
such a great staff!
What kind of vibe does your winery have?
Our winery definitely has a family-run-vibe – it’s casual and friendly. There is
a comfort level here. Most of our wine club members have been around a
long time and have made lots of connections with other members and our
staff. We have some members who have been with us for 20+ years.
What is your all-time food and wine pairing?
I can think of several. Our Syrah is great with grilled top sirloin and sautéed
mushrooms. We did a winemaker dinner a couple years ago at Ten Japan
in Gilroy. The raw scallops in a citrus sauce were fantastic with our Fiano.
Tonight, I am going to serve our Roseo with a pork tenderloin surrounded
by sautéed onions and fresh peaches.
Worst disaster story at your winery?
We had hosted our annual Wine & Chocolate event one weekend in
February. Weather was horrible and the internet was down both days.
We were unable to process credit card sales and revenue was greatly
impacted.
When you are not drinking your own wine, which wines do
you like to explore and where?
I recently traveled to Sicily and was very impressed with their wines.
Probably the best wines coming out of Europe. Many are varietals most
of us have never heard of including reds, whites and sparklings.
You and your brother, Michael, have worked together
successfully over the years. Any tips on getting along with
family members, especially while running a business?
(Laughing) Have a skilled intermediary like your father that can provide
an unbiased, third party view to resolve key issues. And communication
is key, too.
We still see your parents, David and Valerie, helping to pour
your wines at charitable events around Gilroy. How does your
Dad let you know that he is proud of you and what you have
accomplished?
My dad always tells us how well people speak of us and our wines – it
gives him a lot of pride.
What does the perfect day off look like to you?
Floating in the pool and barbecuing with my kids.
Favorite award or accolade that you received?
Two awards come to mind. Our 2011 Merlot won Best of Class at the
California State Fair. And just recently, our 2018 Fiano took Best of Show
at the Central Coast Wine Competition.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
Why are your club members so loyal, what does
club membership offer them?
(Author’s Note: Solis Winery also recently won three gold medals at the
2019 Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits competition: one
each for their 2018 Fiano Estate, 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
and 2015 Merlot Estate.)
august/september 2019
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