EPISODE #26 KIRK WILES/CO-FOUNDER & CEO PARADISE SPRINGS WINERY

Fine Wine Confidential Podcast

Paradise Springs Winery was founded in 2007. However, the Fairfax County Board challenged the Wiles family's right to open a winery and start a vineyard. There was over two years of litigation which Kirk and his mother eventually prevailed and won. During that two year period Kirk was so confident that with the help of consultant and Virginia vintner Chris Pearmund they began to produce small amounts of wine in 2007.
Once Paradise Springs became active and started selling wine their brand took off. It was in 2014 during a trip Kirk made to Southern California visiting some friends that they took a trip up to Santa Barbara wine country and it was then he got the idea to see if he could also make wine on the West Coast to compliment what he was doing back in Virginia on the East Coast. He was fortunate to meet the right wine industry folks in Santa Barbara like Greg Brewer and Doug Margerum who is his consulting winemaker today for his winery in Santa Barbara.
Kirk is currently the Chair of the Virginia Wine Board and just recently purchased some additional land next to King Family Vineyards in Crozet that he is beginning to develop to a vineyard. He has put together and all star team to help him in Lucien Morton, the world re-known Ampelographer and viticulturist along with Bubba Beasley a geologist in Charlottesville who works with wineries on digging soil pits and infra-red imaging of the soil to determine the right spots and varietals to plant.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EPISODE:
a). Kirk explains the how and why on the challenge they had to overcome starting their winery when the county of Fairfax tried to stop them.
b). He also admits that during that two year litigation between 2007 and 2009 he went ahead and produced wine with the help of another winery and consultant. A bold move even if he believed the law was on his side. Which eventually proved to be true.
c). Kirk clarifies that his family had been given originally over 1000 acres as a land grant from Lord Fairfax back in 1716.
d). Unexpectedly, during a visit to Southern California to see some friends he visits Santa Barbara wine country and eventually starts producing wine from the winegrowing region and becomes the first bi-coastal winery in the country.
e). Kirk is one of only a few vintners who is fortunate to get grapes from the Founders Pinot Noir Block at Sanford & Benedict in Santa Barbara.
Much, much more. Take a listen or read the transcript below