SEATTLE, Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Charles Smith, founder of Washington's largest winemaker-owned winery and the 4 th largest wine producer in the state, today announced . Smith is the only person to be awarded Winemaker of the Year by both Wine Enthusiast (in 2014) and Food & Wine (in 2009). Ive been around the country and seen a lot of beautiful places and I met a lot of really, really nice people. A full-bodied red. Well, if youre given Syrah, make the greatest Syrah you can with a clear inspiration, and make sure its as individual as its place of origin. After a move to Denmark in 1989 to be with a lady friend hed met in the States, Smith managed rock bands and concert tours, he says, to put food on my table, to survive. But during a road trip back to the States, when local winemakers Smith met at a barbecue encouraged him to follow his passion and go into the wine business, he changed course. But while most producers were focused exclusively on American consumers, Smith plunged into foreign markets. Not only that, but you can get a couple of rounds of Call, A video game tournament may be the last place youd expect to get laid, but believe it or not, after attending multiple Super Smash Bros tournaments, Ive found it a great way to find a free fuck. Charles Smith Wines, Prosser, WA While living abroad, he managed a number of rock bands, including the famed Danish duo The Raveonettes. Now he has added Charles & Charles (a partnership with New York winemaker Charles Bieler), Secco Italian Bubbles, Sixto Chardonnay, Casa Smith and Wines of Substance. In a wide-ranging interview with VinePair, Smith contemplated why John Prines In Spite of Ourselves might be his Desert Island Disk (Its such a f*cking happy, beautiful, lovely song); which book he would take to keep him company on said desert island (Moby Dick or On the Road); and his favorite word (hopefully). OurPrivacy PolicyandTerms of Usehave changed. We prefer to fill up our wine glasses. And since Smith was in town to pour out his vintages at a Wine Spectator event, maybe Id like to report on the sale. Some people like to fill up their wine cellars. Copyright 2022. During his four years with the Clippers where he was among the team's top scorers and rebounders, he averaged 19 points and 7 rebounds. Wines of Substance, for example When I think of Cabernet Sauvignon, and what I believe people want from it and what its best expression is, I search for that. The next night you may find yourself with less company, but no less lucky. [Extremely long pause] I would have to go full circle back to where I come from. Charles Smiths unlikely rise to rockstar winemaker status is the stuff indie cult-classic films are made of. Please enter your date of birth below and press "Enter". The real secret to thesauce is in the marketing. View the profiles of people named Charles Smith. The bank asked to taste my wine, and they gave me credit based on my inventory. Just enter your email address below! THE NEW BOTTLE EXPERIENCE REVIEW & RATING: Copyright 2022. K Syrah was a hit, and Smith continued to replicate his formula of making minimally produced, biodynamic wines with notable titles, like Velvet Devil Merlot and Boom Boom Syrah, all designed with his signature, black-and-white packaging. Dreamy notes of hibiscus and orange zest from our, It's International Syrah Day and you know how we'r, T-minus 3 hours! A dark fruit profile, a strong terroir imprint, and fruit that can hang on the vine until its physiologically ripe with depth and character. Smith stays on as winemaker while Constellation handles sales and marketing, freeing Smith up to focus on his next big thing. Theres a strange electricity in the air tonight. I think about the consumer, and I think about whats not in the market, then create to fill the void. I think my best is a bottle of 1834 Madeira. Please enjoy responsibly. Hows the development of Legend of Zelda for the Wii U going? As Smith's stats declined, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for J. R. Reid before retiring in 1998. Then a record. Smith is a Managing Consultant for Silver Blade which extends cash invoices and will advance cash against unbilled transaction in the media industry. Charles Smith is the visionary winemaker behind iconic brands like K Vintners and Substance. In 2016, the award-winning Washington winemaker sold five of his brands to Constellation for a reported $120 million. Complex. An Introduction to Charles Smith and His Wines | Joe's Daily He earned recognition as Wine & Spirits Magazine Winery of the Year (2008), Food & Wine Winemaker of the Year (2009), Wine Enthusiast Winemaker of the Year (2014), and placed #2 and #13 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 List (2017). They close at 5 and reopen at 5:05. I love what it represents, he says. I make a wine called The Boy, he says, Its 100% Grenache. Charles Smith (basketball, born 1965) - Wikipedia If ever there were a list of the coolest winemakers, surely Charles Smith would be on it. Initially my goal was to make 2,000 cases and $100,000 a year. How I Found A Free Fuck By Playing Super Smash Bros. Super Smash Bros. Thread- Super Smash Bros. 4 Coming Eventually! Its a moment expressed by My K Vintners Viognier, says Smith, because the wines fragrant. Charles Martin Smith Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth After all that, if I had made a wine that just said some large region like Columbia Valley or Washington State, itd be the same as if I were a Burgundian producer who was required to put on just the word France. So, in most cases, a single vineyard works for me. 2023 New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet. And those are some bold words, considering what Ive done thus far. Interviewer & Writer:Uncorked Monthly Contributing Writer, Kim Brittingham, I make wine for the people, says Charles Smith, winemaker and owner of Charles Smith Wines in Washington state. With long, striking white hair, and a background working as a Danish band manager, Smiths reputation as a rock and roll winemaker precedes him. Aug 08, 2017, 12:00 ET. I believe Washington is one of the greatest winegrowing regions in the world. You must be of legal drinking age in your country to enter this site. The newest project to be added to HOUSE OF SMITH. So cool when a winemaker understands the terroir concept and wishes to display it. Facebook gives people the power to. Shaking Things Up With Charles Smith - The Tasting Room This classically made Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% the real deal and proof that you dont need an actual French chateau to create award-winning wine. 2014 - 2023 VinePair Inc. Made In NYC. Smith is the only person to be awarded "Winemaker of the Year" by both Wine Enthusiast (in 2014) and Food & Wine (in 2009). K Vintners is about small lots of single-vineyard Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Tempranillo, Sangiovese and field blends of those grapes. And its got a great skull crown on the label.. Smith says youll want something soothing to calm your nerves. But Smiths rookie vintagerevealed more than his affinity for making good wine. One things for sure: he has a knack for making wine. My own blood because Id want to die. He played for the US national team in the 1986 FIBA World Championship, where he won the gold medal,[2] and at the 1988 Olympics, where he finished with a bronze. Yes, it needs to taste like the varietal its made from and the place it was made. Former rock group manager, Washington State winemaker Charles Smith released his first vintage of just 330 cases - in 2001. Charles Smith, owner and winemaker of K Vintners, Charles Smith Wines, ViNO, Secco Italian Bubbles, SIXTO, Wines of Substance and one-half of Charles & Charles, is based in Walla Walla, Wash., has earned global acclaim including "Winemaker of the Year" by Wine Enthusiast (in 2014), Food & Wine magazine (in 2009) and by Seattle magazine (in 2010). He was later traded to the New York Knicks with Doc Rivers and Bo Kimble for point guard Mark Jackson. College career. The bottom line is everyone deserves an infinitely pleasant wine to drink. Please enjoy responsibly. We use cookies to optimize and personalize your experience and to better understand how to give you more of what you like. At the time, Washington had very little history of oh, this is the best spot for Cabernet, this is the best spot for Syrah, and this is the best spot for Riesling. I was never going to be one of those people who thought just because I willed it I could grow Riesling where its hot or Cabernet where its cold, you know? I researched, I picked, and I executed. Nowhere. For inspiration I look for what is missing and what is desired. He and Raveonettes frontman Sune Wagner flew to the States and took a 3-month road trip that stretched north from Mexico to Seattle. Simple. 350+ acres in what I believe will be one of the greatest areas for producing Burgundian varietals in the world. At every price, you should get value for your money. Charles has received over 250 scores of 95 points and above and nearly 1,300 scores of 90 points and above from leading wine publications. Later, a visit to the Pacific Northwest took him to Walla Walla, where he met some winemakers who convinced him to move to Washington and follow his dream of becoming a winemaker. And when I got back into wine, I decided that I was just as emotionally connected to it as anyone, and its what I should be doing. I want my life to be in my wine. Buckle up. Today, Charles Smith is the third largest producer of wine in Washington, and the states largest independent winemaker-owned winery. Im not even talking about Asia or China. On the contrary, Smiths labels make a no-nonsense introduction, and then step aside to let each wine tell its own story. Wine Enthusiast and Robert Parker gushed over his Syrah, and Parker named the first vintage of Velvet Devil Best in State, awarding it 99 points. I decided to have a little fun with Smith. He was a member of the University of Pittsburgh's highly touted five-man recruiting class considered the country's best. By hook or by crook he got the first vintage done, and immediately borrowed money against it to cover next years crop. Award-Winning Winemaker Charles Smith Announces New Company X marks the spot, and the spot is Washington. Zelda Sanctuary It occurs to me that Smith, in his jeans and t-shirts, with his DIY spirit, egalitarian mission and non-threatening likeability, just might be the Springsteen of winemaking. If youre a guy who likes video games, chances are the idea of hooking up with a hot girl who also plays video games sounds amazing. With almost nothing in his pockets, Charles Smith found a way to produce his first vintagethe aforementioned 330 cases of 1999 K Syrah. Thats what I do., Even the labels on Smiths bottles are designed to speak to the working-class everyman. He crushed his grapes at another friends facility, then fermented somewhere else. Over drinks at a friends place, Smith had an idea and sketched out House Wine on a napkin. Head down the room and go to the frozen walls we saw earlier. Its one of the greatest producers in the world, and I have two bottles that are completely perfect, but another one that I can tell from the color is totally f*cked. Prior, he was Head of Sports & Entertainment for MediaCom, owned by WPP/GroupM. In addition, Smiths approach to winemaking is grounded in sustainable practices. Enter OR Verify age via Facebook Charles Smith Wines supports the Century Council's fight against underage drinking and drunk driving. Every brand represents me in one way or another. After retiring from the NBA, Smith served as Team Representative for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and then as First Vice President. In the meantime, he can continue to connect with people through his wines, because, he says, Im in every bottle.. 2009 Winemaker of the Year Charles Smith is a busy man His reds undergo extended maceration on the skins, with no racking after malolactic fermentation is finished. I look in the mirror for the truth in my wines. Shes a sure thing. As a college player, Smith was named Big East Player of the Year in 1988. To know that there are people in New Hampshire drinking my wine, makes me want to go there. But in a twist of fate, Smith walked awayand followed his girlfriend to Denmark. Another would be mezcal because its the thing closest to wine. To have not jumped would perhaps have been the biggest mistake of my wine life. . The Andes bar in Copenhagen, Denmark. In the two decades since, Charles Smith has left an undeniable impact on the wine industry. [Laughs]. Be among the first to know about new wine releases, be at the front of the line when event tickets go on sale, and generally be in-the-know about HOUSE OF SMITH. Temperature. Smith grew up just outside Sacramento and says he came to wine by way of the hospitality industry when he began, at about age 20, to work at various restaurants in Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe, and Napa Valley. Rockstar Winemaker, Charles Smith Releases NEW POPUP Wine You dont have to actually play the gamejust check out one of its many matches. {| foundExistingAccountText |} {| current_emailAddress |}. Its the countryside. The rhythm. He borrowed fruit from one vineyard with a promise to pay later. Hookups are best when theres some shared interests, even if youre not looking for a relationship. 1986 FIBA World Championship Gold medal, Big East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, "Hruby: The stories behind Jerome Lane's dunk", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Smith_(basketball,_born_1965)&oldid=1133073478, 20th-century African-American sportspeople, All-American college men's basketball players, Basketball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics, Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball), Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball players, Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in basketball, Sportspeople from Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States men's national basketball team players, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 12 January 2023, at 04:40. One thing I brought with me from the Rock and Roll days was my attitude, says Smith. While many of us might call it a day. He watched, listened, absorbed. Its been a slow reveal. He found a way to explore his burgeoning interest in wine by opening a wine shop on Bainbridge Island, but Charles felt compelled to create the wines, not just to sell them. Brennon Leighton, created B. Leighton Wines to showcase fruit from the crest of Olsen Hills in the Yakima Valley. Charles Smith Wines Theyre true, honest, and good.. Charles daughter Charlotte wants to follow in her fathers footsteps and be a winemaker one day. For whites, he foregoes battonage, and they are fined and filtered for stability. Through that gig, Smith ended up managing bands, most notably the Danish indie rock duo, The Raveonettes. It begins with the sound check. He uses no chemicals in the vineyard and allows spontaneous fermentation in the winery. Im not a person who goes wandering around looking for his next inspiration, wondering if Im gonna find it. Hot new brand? And later, backstage, youre easily seduced by the slow smile of a groupie lingering in your doorway. Its the most simple, basic white wine and it was served by the glass at the spa hotel where I worked as a waiter. Discover the unique story of how this former rock band manager became a wine industry mogul. Instead, we roll a big fat joint, grab a bottle of Champagne from my cellar, and head out onto the dock to drink and have a smoke.. It needs better quality for a better price and a better way of communicating it to include everyone., Smith aims to make his wines encapsulate the human experience. Uncorked Monthly. I just did what made sense to me.. Break both and kill the Poe, a-link-between-worlds A Link Between Worlds is a sequel to A Link to the Past. You can purchase Charles Smith wines at CharlesSmithWines.com.