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Recession spawns whimsy and wine value
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IJulia Hollister photo
Recession spawns whimsy and wine value
Graton Ridge Cellars in Sonoma County’s lush winegrowing area is doing their part to ease the pain of the Recession one glass at a time.
How about a elegant, full-bodied $17 Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley to get your taste buds singing?
“The family team was talking about what we could do for wine drinkers during these rough months,” said Graton Ridge owner Barbara Paul. “We knew we wanted to offer a nice wine at a lesser price and a pinch of amusement.”
They had the Cabernet in the barrel and decided this wine would be a good one to promote. The family also wanted an unconventional label that would be fun for people during these hard times.
“We were looking for a new, economic, friendly wine for under $20 and we came up with the idea of “Econo Cab.” said Paul. “Our daughter, Sue Bonzell, designed the logo after searching for the perfect art design. It portrays the winemaker Nick Legg driving a yellow cab with his dog in the front seat.”
Everyone loved the unconventional look.
The first “Econo Cab” production was bottled last week and will be available for tasting and sale at the vineyard around the end of May. Other wines include Chardonnay, Pinot noir rose, Zinfandel, Syrah, and an apple port called A+. The winery offers discounts on certain wines. Graton Ridge Cellars’ produces 1,200 cases annually and wines range in price from $17 to $40.
“We are a Sebastopol family winery above all and therefore, all the grapes are hand picked,” said Paul. This is Pinot noir country whereas Zinfandels do better in a hotter climate. “We want people who drink our wine to taste the fruit, not the barrel. And have fun.”
Several other wineries in the area have noted a decline in wine sales. Dutton Estates in Sebastopol reported that wine customers are buying one case instead of two cases this year. But, membership in the wine club remains steady.
For more information www.gratonridge.com
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