Announcing Tobacco Road Cellars
Napa Valley wine with North Carolina inspiration is the vision of two NC entrepreneurs. Boutique winery in the heart of California wine country with a distinctive name with a history of tradition and reputation for excellence: Tobacco Road.
Raleigh, NC, February 13, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Two North Carolina businessmen are partners in a unique wine venture that will combine North Carolina investment “know-how” and passion for the finest grapes from among the most acclaimed vineyards in California wine country. The two North Carolinians are Dusty Field and Jason Earnest. These two Raleigh entrepreneurs share a winemaker’s dream: create blockbuster wines that will attract and delight a loyal following among wine fans. They have assembled a team of winemakers in Napa whose assignment is to make world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Syrah. The winemakers have chosen three top vineyards that are praised for their stunning wines. That’s where the prized grapes have been “sourced”. Appropriately, this wine will boast a label that reflects the North Carolina “connection” for this adventure: It will be called Tobacco Road Cellars (TRC). The first release of TRC’s 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Mélange was on December 2006. The production of this boutique winery offering is limited to ensure superior quality. Orders are being accepted now www.tobaccoroadcellars.com. Additional details on the TRC Fall Wine release and more about TRC in general can also be found at the web site: www.tobaccoroadcellars.com
General Manager and Chief Winemaker, Michael Zitzlaff leads this highly experienced team along with Kian Tavakoli, a 10-year master winemaker. Zitzlaff brings international experience from his winemaking in Australia where he won international awards including 2002 International Wine Challenge in London and “Best New World Pinot Noir”. Earlier in 2000 at the London International Wine and Spirit Competition, Zitzlaff’s wines earned “Best Australian Red Wine of Show” and the Stag’s Leap Trophy for the “Best Cabernet Sauvignon of Show”. Master Winemaker Kian Tavakoli was most recently the winemaker at Clos Du Val where he ran their Red Wine program - including their highly-acclaimed reserve bottling. Before joining Clos Du Val, Kian spent four years learning cabernet winemaking at Opus One. With over 10 years of winemaking, operations and viticulture experience, Kian brings a stellar combination of sensory and production skills to Tobacco Road Cellars.
It takes great grapes to make great wine. That lesson finds expression in the selection of three top vineyards already known for their world class grapes. In Napa, the Cabernet Sauvignon will be sourced from the legendary To Kalon Vineyard located in the historic Oakville region at the base of the Mayacamas Mountain range. To Kalon experiences warm daytime temperatures tempered by the morning and evening fog influence from the Pacific Ocean. The vineyard was first planted in 1868 and was named "To Kalon," which means "the beautiful" in Greek. The Pinot Noir was selected from the special soils and coastal breezes of the Russian River Valley in the Amber Ridge Vineyard of Sonoma. The Syrah is grown from the newly heralded central coast areas near Santa Barbara at the White Hawk Vineyard, which is planted on ancient sand dunes on the south-facing slope of Cat Canyon, a side canyon of the Los Alamos Valley. This region is quickly being recognized by wine connoisseurs the world over as a top producing wine region. Fog often embraces the small vineyard in the morning before gentle afternoon breezes chase it away to allow the sun's rays to slowly ripen the fruit.
Dusty Field, President/CEO of Boylan Investment Company, a Raleigh-based real estate investment and development company, has put his management and entrepreneur background into the new winery. With 14 years as an entrepreneur, Dusty brings business-development expertise, results-oriented insight, and a passion for new business ventures. He and his successful partner, Jason Earnest, chose to invest in General Manager Michael Zitzlaff and Master Winemaker Kian Tavakoli by co-founding Tobacco Road Cellars, a start-up wine company with a new concept in ultra premier California artisan wines. In 2005, Dusty was awarded the Top 40 under 40 Award, a prestigious award that honors the most promising young business people in the Triangle, North Carolina area. Boylan Companies, was also chosen in 2005 as one of the top thirty companies to work for in the Triangle.
Tobacco Road Cellars' co-founder and Principal, Jason Earnest, is a forward thinking entrepreneur and financial professional in Raleigh, North Carolina. As Jason realizes his dream of creating a world class wine company, he is also a Partner in Boylan Financial Group, a division of the Boylan Companies, that assists high net worth individuals, families and business owners accumulate, enhance and preserve wealth for future generations.
Tobacco Road symbolizes a history of tradition in North Carolina, with a reputation and commitment to excellence. “We embrace these values and capture them into every bottle of wine to ensure our customers’ experience is delicious, enjoyable and nothing less than superior” says Jason. "This is where we grew up, where we live and run our businesses…this common bond left no alternative to name our wine company...Tobacco Road Cellars" added Dusty.
For more information please contact Jason Earnest at 888-770-3635 or email info@tobaccoroadcellars.com
###
General Manager and Chief Winemaker, Michael Zitzlaff leads this highly experienced team along with Kian Tavakoli, a 10-year master winemaker. Zitzlaff brings international experience from his winemaking in Australia where he won international awards including 2002 International Wine Challenge in London and “Best New World Pinot Noir”. Earlier in 2000 at the London International Wine and Spirit Competition, Zitzlaff’s wines earned “Best Australian Red Wine of Show” and the Stag’s Leap Trophy for the “Best Cabernet Sauvignon of Show”. Master Winemaker Kian Tavakoli was most recently the winemaker at Clos Du Val where he ran their Red Wine program - including their highly-acclaimed reserve bottling. Before joining Clos Du Val, Kian spent four years learning cabernet winemaking at Opus One. With over 10 years of winemaking, operations and viticulture experience, Kian brings a stellar combination of sensory and production skills to Tobacco Road Cellars.
It takes great grapes to make great wine. That lesson finds expression in the selection of three top vineyards already known for their world class grapes. In Napa, the Cabernet Sauvignon will be sourced from the legendary To Kalon Vineyard located in the historic Oakville region at the base of the Mayacamas Mountain range. To Kalon experiences warm daytime temperatures tempered by the morning and evening fog influence from the Pacific Ocean. The vineyard was first planted in 1868 and was named "To Kalon," which means "the beautiful" in Greek. The Pinot Noir was selected from the special soils and coastal breezes of the Russian River Valley in the Amber Ridge Vineyard of Sonoma. The Syrah is grown from the newly heralded central coast areas near Santa Barbara at the White Hawk Vineyard, which is planted on ancient sand dunes on the south-facing slope of Cat Canyon, a side canyon of the Los Alamos Valley. This region is quickly being recognized by wine connoisseurs the world over as a top producing wine region. Fog often embraces the small vineyard in the morning before gentle afternoon breezes chase it away to allow the sun's rays to slowly ripen the fruit.
Dusty Field, President/CEO of Boylan Investment Company, a Raleigh-based real estate investment and development company, has put his management and entrepreneur background into the new winery. With 14 years as an entrepreneur, Dusty brings business-development expertise, results-oriented insight, and a passion for new business ventures. He and his successful partner, Jason Earnest, chose to invest in General Manager Michael Zitzlaff and Master Winemaker Kian Tavakoli by co-founding Tobacco Road Cellars, a start-up wine company with a new concept in ultra premier California artisan wines. In 2005, Dusty was awarded the Top 40 under 40 Award, a prestigious award that honors the most promising young business people in the Triangle, North Carolina area. Boylan Companies, was also chosen in 2005 as one of the top thirty companies to work for in the Triangle.
Tobacco Road Cellars' co-founder and Principal, Jason Earnest, is a forward thinking entrepreneur and financial professional in Raleigh, North Carolina. As Jason realizes his dream of creating a world class wine company, he is also a Partner in Boylan Financial Group, a division of the Boylan Companies, that assists high net worth individuals, families and business owners accumulate, enhance and preserve wealth for future generations.
Tobacco Road symbolizes a history of tradition in North Carolina, with a reputation and commitment to excellence. “We embrace these values and capture them into every bottle of wine to ensure our customers’ experience is delicious, enjoyable and nothing less than superior” says Jason. "This is where we grew up, where we live and run our businesses…this common bond left no alternative to name our wine company...Tobacco Road Cellars" added Dusty.
For more information please contact Jason Earnest at 888-770-3635 or email info@tobaccoroadcellars.com
###
Contact
Tobacco Road Cellars
Jason Earnest
888-770-3635
www.tobaccoroadcellars.com
Jason Earnest
888-770-3635
www.tobaccoroadcellars.com
Contact
Categories