This May marks our 10th year anniversary of the purchase of Le Mulet Rouge Vineyard + Winery. There are so many memories, so many lessons learned, so much knowledge gained, and such an appreciation for those that have supported our growth through the years. Every time I start up my laptop, I am greeted with a photo of our Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard taken in June of 2014. Our first year was a tough one. Our consulting vineyard manager told us the vineyard was in distress after years of neglect. The Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc were ripening inconsistently and we would need to drop the grapes early for the health of the vines. The Syrah didn't even produce fruit, and the Cab gave us one barrel at harvest. Quite a start! Because of this, we had to reach out to neighboring vineyards to source fruit, and took the opportunity to buy fruit that we didn't grow. This is how our relationship with Slate Creek Vineyard started, which provides our Grenache, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Tempranillo. Who knows what wines we would be producing today if it weren't for that challenging first year?
I don't think we could have followed our dream anywhere else but Amador County. Where else could three architects from Denver, Colorado take on a new profession? My husband Randy led quality control at the firm where we worked - he has channeled that energy into our vineyard which now produces gold medal fruit. Jody, our business partner, led many lives prior to architecture, including owning a retail shop. She took on the tasks of retail, bookkeeping, and legal documentation that burdens the wine industry. For me, architecture is art and engineering, and winemaking is art and chemistry. I find beauty in the patterns that bring structure to architecture and wines that have texture and balance. When we relocated to our current tasting room six years ago, it was an opportunity to express texture and balance by exposing historic stone walls, reviving original wood floors, defining spaces with barrel staves, and sleek yet simple modern touches of the front and back bar.
We enjoy being in beautiful Sutter Creek, where our tasting room manager Tamara Richards is the ambassador of our sparkling wines and Fiddletown still wines. While we created the architectural framework of the tasting room, it is Tamara that makes the experience friendly, warm and memorable. She enjoys getting to know all of the patrons, offering insights to improve their stay in Sutter Creek and of course, finding a reason why Le Mulet Rouge wines will complement that experience! Randy and I are typically there on Saturdays, sharing our stories of the vineyard and winery, hustling to wash carafes and glasses, or happy to carry a case of wine to your car. These days, we are all forced to carefully consider where we spend our hard-earned money, and are grateful for those of you that support Amador County, Sutter Creek, the Wines on 49 tasting rooms, and Le Mulet Rouge. Come visit us to experience first-hand Tamara's hospitality and Le Mulet Rouge wines, crafted by architects, passionate about what we create.
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