Napa Comes to Atlanta? You Bet!

For the second Atlanta wine-based event of this whirlwind series (see my last POST for the lowdown on this unusual situation), I was lucky enough to score an invite to what amounted to a somewhat secret event at a brand-new wine space barely ten minutes from my house in an extremely cool former industrial facility.

How brand-new was this event space? Well, I learned once I got there on Saturday, July 20th, that it wasn’t technically even open yet!

It’s called The Vine Club, and it’s housed in a fairly amazing building from the 1920s that was initially used as a distributing center for a heavy farm equipment company from Wisconsin. It has recently been meticulously restored and reimagined as a swanky mixed-use development that’s envisioned as the focal point of the buzzworthy West End Beltline District.

Want to learn more about what’s now being called the Abrams Fixtures Building? Check out their extremely detailed and impressive website here.

Despite the fact that it’s basically right around the corner from my home, I’d actually never spent any serious time in this part of Atlanta, which is known as Adair Park. However, I’m certain I’ll be back, as it seems there’s an awful lot getting cranked up around there.

I started taking photos and video before I even entered the building.

I’d been drawn to attend this event because of the slightly mysterious invitation I’d received.

“WE BRING NAPA TO YOU,” it loudly proclaimed. Then continued, “We are thrilled to invite you to an elevated evening of wine tasting as we partner with some of the very best small-wineries in the Napa Valley: AXR, Ballentine, Biale, Gemstone and Somnium.

“Guests will be treated to a walk-around tasting of several highly allocated wines from each of these family-owned wineries, accompanied by specially curated bites. A rare opportunity to purchase wines from this collection of small producers will be offered.”

Color me intrigued.

You see, this email showed up just a few days before Dio and I were heading out for our own big Napa trip centered around the A&B Investor Weekend. We’re heading across the country for a true Napa experience, but a little later on, Napa was coming to our very neighborhood? Nice!

The email came from Darlyne Miller, the Director of Sales and Membership for Phifer Pavitt Wine. Phifer Pavitt were the ones basically facilitating this whole showcase of smaller Napa producers. Dio and I had met Darlyne and the winery’s owner Suzanne Phifer Pavitt back during the High Museum’s 2023 Cultivation Trip. That’s when we learned the heartbreaking story of how this native of the tiny city of Ringgold, Ga. (population not quite 3,500) and her husband had lost their home and their vineyard to California’s massive Glass Fire of 2020 that just devastated that area.

Luckily, their wine making and hospitality facility was spared, so they’ve been able to continue to make wonderful wines ever since, through a combination of replanting their own lost vineyards and sourcing grapes from other nearby vineyards of high quality. Phifer Pavitt’s wines are very good, and what with all they’ve been through, we’re now forever supporters of theirs. Not long after our 2023 visit, we learned that Suzanne’s winery had decided to participate for the first time in the Atlanta High Museum Wine Auction earlier this year. That took place in March of 2024, and I can’t help but think that our visit (and me being from Georgia!) played some role in convincing them to take that plunge…

This event in Adair Park was billed as a rare chance for serious wine folks in the Atlanta area to have the opportunity to purchase a number of somewhat esoteric wines directly from their producers ― wines they might not otherwise have easy access to in this part of the country. I was immediately into the idea of attending this tasting because Phifer Pavitt was the only one of all the participating wineries whose wines I’d ever tried.

I knew in advance Dio was not going to be able to make it as she already had plans for that day, so I invited our friends Dain and Lauren Reeves. Luckily, they were able to attend.

I don’t believe I’ve ever mentioned Dain and Lauren in the blog before, but I have a feeling they’ll be popping up from time to time in the future, as we’ve gotten to know them a good bit and ― like ourselves ― they really appreciate wine. Dio and I met them back in February at the High Museum’s Top Bidders Dinner, when our assigned seats wound up at the same table by happenstance. It turns out that Dain and I also share an affinity for heavy music. (In fact, for those who have not picked up on that yet, there’s a bit of a double meaning in the name of this blog. I enjoy a heavy pour, but I also enjoy heavy sounds.)

And Dio and Lauren connected over the fact that both of our households have rescue dogs. We hit it off that night and I made sure we exchanged information as they seemed like nice folks to hang out with. I knew they were both big fans of Napa wine and culture, so I invited them to this event and thankfully, they were able to attend.

When I entered the space, there were maybe a few dozen other people there.

THE TASTING BEGINS

I noticed that Dain and Lauren arrived right around the time the first pours began, so I joined them at the AXR area, which was right behind the bar, almost directly next to where Phifer Pavitt had set up shop. As I mentioned earlier, this was my first time trying any of these other wines, so I was quite excited to see what the fuss was about and how they stacked up alongside my previous Napa experiences.

We began with a medium weight 2023 AXR Sauvignon Blanc Ganzin, and if you’re not familiar with Ganzin grapes, many folks consider them to be the original type of teinturier grapes (meaning that, unlike most red grapes that have red skin and clear juice, this type of grape actually has red skin AND red juice). I found this pour a bit on the tart side. That was followed by AXR’s 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, which was nice for a cab, but still rather primary.

We moved on to another 2021: their Cabernet Sauvignon V Madrone Vineyard, which had been decanted for around an hour, and which to me came off as exceedingly well-balanced. We learned this bottle came from a single vineyard which is partially covered in California redwoods.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Finally, we ended our time with AXR with another 2021 vintage. This one, however, didn’t appear to have a name. I mean, they referred to it as “AXR One,” but there was no name on the label. Rather, there was just a little triangular symbol.

However, I could not have cared less what they called it! All I knew was that ― for me at least ― this was delicious! Some folks in the know at this event were calling this “the secret wine.” It was a mixture of all of AXR’s single vineyard wines, rolled up together in one incredible blend. Not only was this blend not listed anywhere in the tasting lineup or on the order forms, it also wasn’t even in sight.

You heard me right, this bottle was kept hidden under the bar!

Dain, who is a big wine guy and attends a lot of tastings, had heard a rumor about their being some off the list AXR wine, and was able to convince AXR’s rep, Deven, to give our group a “sneaky pour” from what I can only assume was perhaps meant as a special, unannounced treat only shared with AXR’s wine club members. I didn’t want to spoil the mood by being too inquisitive, so I just smiled, said thanks and snuck a little video of the deed going down.

However, as the night went on, I came to the conclusion this mysterious blend was basically the best wine (WOTN) in the room and I swung back over to the AXR station to make sure I ordered some of this wine for my cellar. When it came time to accomplish this feat, I actually had to handwrite in the name and vintage on the order form, because it was not listed in any way, shape or form.

That’s how limited this wine was - and I am thrilled I was able to snatch some for my own collection.

Around that time someone pointed out the owner of The Vine Club to me. His name is Taylor Sublett, and since he’s opening up this lovely wine event space a stone’s throw from my house, I figured I had to introduce myself — because there aren’t any other wine spaces of that sort anywhere near where we live. I hit him up with a bunch of questions, and that’s when I learned this event was kind of a “soft opening” and was the very first of any sort they had hosted. Much like the “friends and family” openings at nice restaurants, this was one of those deals where you essentially had to know somebody to get word it was even taking place.

Since I received an emailed invite from Phifer Pavitt, I can only assume that awareness of HeavyPourWine.com is growing, which is a great feeling. Pretty much everyone else who was there that night was involved in one or more of the membership-only wine clubs these producers offer ― and which are integral to their business models, as Darlyne herself mentioned in one of her brief introductions.

You know, the legal restrictions on where, when and under what circumstances wine can be sold, marketed, distributed or shipped varies so greatly from state to state that it’s very difficult for many of these smaller, boutique wineries to make a go of things. For example, other than California, Georgia is ― if I’m not mistaken ― the only other state in the country in which you can find Phifer Pavitt’s wines in retail establishments or bars and restaurants. Think about that! There are 48 states in which their product simply cannot be had, unless you are a member of their private mailing list or club, and receive offers to order wine directly from the winery and have it shipped to your home. The hoops these small wineries have to jump through can be so convoluted and onerous…

THE “RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES”

The second producer we sampled was Gemstone. Molly was the name of their representative, and we tried three of their wines: a very balanced 2021 Gemstone Chardonnay with nice levels of acidity, a very tannic 2021 Gemstone Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Selection that was blended from multiple vineyards (and which had to be opened three hours before our tasting), and a 2021 Gemstone Cabernet Sauvignon Alluvial Selection that was a 100% cab blend. This last one was more evenly balanced than the one which preceded it, and I made sure to grab some of this one for my cellar. All in all, a solid lineup from Gemstone.

I should mention here that the folks at Gemstone were quite accommodating and allowed me to schedule a pickup of the wine that I ordered when I’m in Napa for our next cultivation trip (which was a month away). They did me a solid there, because it saved me a good bit on shipping costs.

It was at this point that Darlyne took the microphone and officially welcomed everyone to the tasting, and in the process introduced the space’s owner Taylor. She also referenced the fact that due to the confusing legalities surrounding wine sales, even though the wineries on display for the night are all essentially neighbors of each other in Napa and see themselves as complementing rather than competing with one another, they are still forbidden from grouping together wines from more than one winery to save their Georgia customers money through combined shipments.

It all seemed so silly, but those are the rules they are beholden to. So, again, I always learn something new about this industry every time I attend a tasting or dinner. She also mentioned that while Taylor’s place was still a “work in progress,” he had big plans to eventually offer wine storage, private tastings and other amenities which our little side of Atlanta could certainly benefit from.

AN ATLANTA SUMMERTIME TRADITION

Our third tasting was with the folks from Somnium. It should be noted that this producer does not make any white, Rosé or sparkling wines of any sort. However, in a continuation of the tradition I had noticed when visiting Napa, they started things off by pouring a wine from a French producer that they have a relationship with: Danica Rosé from Provence. Sometimes wines of this sort are poured just before the official tasting begins to kind of prepare one’s palate, and it feels a bit like a tradition in a city like Atlanta (or in the Napa Valley, for that matter) to drink a bit of something like this on a hot summer’s night. It was an overly fruity wine and not my favorite type of Rosé. But then we moved straight on to Somnium’s cabs.

For me, their 2021 Somnium Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley was very nice. Super tannic with a muted nose. The next pour was more expressive than the 2021. It was a 2016 Somnium Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley that had been opened for 45 minutes before we sampled it, yet still remained fairly tannic. Odds are that at this point in their young lives, these cabs would have all paired nicely with food.

During these pours, I noticed a really neat little device being used on top of one of Somnium’s wine bottles. Lauren inquired about it, and we were told it was a “No Drip Pourer.” I’ve never used such a thing before, and when I got home, I did a bit of research and found this one which I’ve purchased for myself.

DATE NIGHT AT THE VINE CLUB

We had yet to speak to Darlyne because she’d been quite busy with everything, but when it was time for us to taste Phifer Pavitt’s wines, we walked over, I got a big hug and I introduced her to Dain and Lauren.

The first pour was a 2021 Phifer Pavitt Date Night Sparkling Wine which I’d tasted before at a private event leading up to the wine auction earlier this year. It was as refreshing and lovely as I recalled. It drank very well and made a nice break from all the Napa cabs we’d sampled up to that point.

Then, it was immediately onto the 2023 Phifer Pavitt Date Night Sauvignon Blanc. That was followed by the 2017 Phifer Pavitt Date Night Cabernet Sauvignon. Tannic yet balanced, this “Date Night” wine is 98% cabernet and 2% Petit Verdot. After a full month of fermentation, this wine spends a year-and-a-half in 100% French oak barrels. It had not been decanted, but had been open for about 45 minutes before being poured.

It was at this point that I asked Darlyne to speak a bit about whatever her favorite wine was that she was pouring, specifically for my blog. She was game, and gave us a little rundown about the 2017 “Date Night.” It’s one of her favorites, and honestly, it’s one of mine as well.

From there we moved on to the 2018 Phifer Pavitt Cabernet Sauvignon XROADS. It was certainly a good wine, but I could not help but feel this bottle could have used a little more air before our tasting.

I already have a good bit of Phifer Pavitt in my cellar, and I encourage anyone reading this who has never had the chance to try their wine to head over to their website, get ahold of some and see if you don’t agree with me.

Darlyne made a point to mention that Taylor is a member of Phifer Pavitt’s wine club and had reached out to them about a year prior to this event to explain what sort of a place he was starting and to say he was open to doing some sort of an event with them. This tasting was actually the third stop on a three-city tour all these wineries were doing together as a package. It seems one of the other stops was in Tampa, Fl., where, according to Darlyne, they’d all had an especially memorable experience.

All the wine reps had dined at this famous restaurant in Tampa called Bern’s Steak House, which is known far and wide for boasting the largest restaurant wine cellar in the entire country. Darlyne showed us some pics of that night on her phone, which included some shots taken in the cellar of these long, long shelves filled with wine that’s obviously been stored there optimally for decades.

The first time I’d ever heard of Bern’s Steak House was when we visited Blackberry Farm and they made a big point of saying they have the second largest wine cellar of any restaurant in the USA.

So, there’s no two ways about it. I gotta go to Tampa to check out Bern’s!

THE BIG SURPRISE OF THE NIGHT?

There was just one more stop to make before I headed out: Ballentine Vineyards. Founded in 1905, this is a multi-generational, family-owned vineyard started by an Italian immigrant. The first bottle they poured us was a 2021 Ballentine Vineyards Malvasia Bianca Betty's Vineyard, a sparkling wine. Wow. This one literally stopped me in my tracks. Of all the wineries I tasted that day for the very first time, this particular pour was my second favorite of the whole tasting. I immediately ordered a bunch of it for my cellar.

Ballentine had an impressively varied lineup of wines to try: the sparkling, a 2022 Chenin Blanc, a 2021 Cabernet Franc, and a 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon. That’s somewhat atypical of most Napa producers. And yet, all were very solid and stood quite nicely on their own.

BUT THE NIGHT WAS STILL YOUNG…

At this point, things were winding down at The Vine Club, and once we said our goodbyes we found ourselves outside, where I was struck by a fairly beautiful sunset and a really cool mural.

We were all in a good mood, as you can probably tell from these photos. It seemed that none of us had any firm plans from that point on in the night and we decided to grab some dinner together. Now, Dain and Lauren live in Buckhead, which is a fairly lengthy drive from Adair Park. So, they deferred to me as far as choosing where we’d go, as this was my side of town. I immediately thought of one of my favorite late-night spots: a pub called Steinbeck’s Ale House. in the Oakhurst neighborhood. They’re known for seriously upscale bar food, and it’s almost guaranteed that you’re always gonna get a very nice meal when you go there ― no matter how late you arrive.

That night was no exception. The food was great, and it was a lovely way to cap off such an unexpectedly fun and illuminating evening.

I’m definitely looking forward to the fall when I receive all of the wines I purchased at the event, and I can’t wait for the next time I get a chance to enjoy The Vine Club.

(And again, for those of you keeping score, the wines I tasted at this event were 18 out of the 32 wines I tried over the course of less than a week…)