When conversation turns to making and tasting wine, the regions
of Napa and Sonoma often are first to come up.
But local winegrowers are working hard to make San Benito
County
– blessed with fertile soil and ideal weather for growing
quality grapes – a popular destination for wine-lovers.
Hollister – When conversation turns to making and tasting wine, the regions of Napa and Sonoma often are first to come up.
But local winegrowers are working hard to make San Benito County – blessed with fertile soil and ideal weather for growing quality grapes – a popular destination for wine-lovers.
That effort got a boost Wednesday when the county planning commission approved a permit for Donati Family Vineyards, located on Airline Highway at Cienega Road, to put up a 65,000 square foot winery building, which will include a tasting and events rooms. If there is no public appeal of the permit to the Board of Supervisors, the commission’s approval becomes final.
“The Donati project is very good,” said Susan Marsh, project coordinator for the San Benito County Winegrowers Association. “We’re so excited, as a group, that he’s doing this. It will help to promote us as the world class region that we are.”
According to Marsh, people who are drawn to the county to visit the new Donati facility, construction of which is slated to begin this year and finish in 2012, will likely visit the county’s other wineries.
Lee Stip, sales and marketing representative for Donati Family Vineyards, agrees.
“When the tide lifts, all the boats go up,” he said.
In the meantime, the winegrowers association is trying to get the word out that San Benito County wineries are making some really good wines.
“People are learning about our region,” Marsh said. “Over the years there has been a lot of word of mouth. Now we’re marketing it more.”
Part of that marketing effort was the local winegrowers association joining chambers of commerce outside the county in order to be able to participate in members-only events and give people a chance to sample local wines.
And recently, the association got permits to put up “wine trail” signs, which will guide visitors to the county’s wineries. The signs will likely go up Monday, according to Marsh.
Increased wine-tourism in San Benito County will benefit other local businesses, Marsh said.
“It’s great because a lot of people want to stay overnight,’ she said, adding that visitors would likely patronize other local restaurants and shops.
Al Martinez, executive director of the San Benito County Economic Development Corporation, said that it was too early to tell what kind of financial impact increased wine tourism would have on the county. But he agreed that there is the potential for people who come to the county for the wineries to patronize other businesses.
Calera Wine Company owner Josh Jensen predicts that San Benito County will become as popular as the better known names of the wine-making game, but it will take some time.
“In 150 years we’ll be like the Napa Valley and get more visitors than Disneyland,” he said.
Jensen, who started Calera about 30 years ago, has already started to pull more business into his winery.
About a year-and-a-half ago Calera started having wine tastings seven days a week. Previously, tasting had only been offered on weekdays. Opening the winery on weekends has brought more people into Calera.
“We have definitely seen an increase in the number of visitors,” said Calera’s owner Josh Jensen.
Quite an increase, in fact, according to Jensen: His sales have more than doubled since he started offering wine tasting on weekends.
The San Benito County Winegrowers Association would like to see Jensen’s results replicated by other local wineries.
Stip also said he thinks San Benito County has the potential to become a popular spot for wine lovers who want to try different regional varieties. But, he added, it won’t happen immediately.
“We’re still at the infantile stage,” he said. “We need to create a bit of a buzz, no pun intended.”
Luke Roney covers politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at lr****@fr***********.com
