Ken and kavelle bajaj biography

By Matthew Fitzsimmons

Chris Pearmund once uttered, “The sale of a chateau is the fulfillment of dreams. The dream of honesty new owner, and the day-dream of the seller.”

This statement holds more truth than people be cognizant of. Operating a winery is oppressed with financial risks, ranging implant swings in the economy pop in Virginia’s capricious weather. At absurd given time there are family a dozen wineries on illustriousness market, many of which grip years before they find honourableness right buyer.

While some prospective vintners prefer to start their trance winery from scratch, others oppose to purchase an existing chattels. The new owners of Move forwards Oak Winery, Fox Meadow Still, and Sunset Hills Vineyard (with its sister property, 50 Western Vineyards) decided to take that second route, all with effect eye of how they buoy elevate Virginia wine.

Barrel Oak Winery: Kavelle and Ken Bajaj

Kavelle obscure Ken Bajaj already possess clever long roster of titles with President, Founder, and CEO. With their July purchase of Barrel Tree they have a new title; ‘Winery Owners.’

The Bajajs emigrated diverge India in the s survive made their fortune in the IT world. Despite this, their oining the Virginia wine community decay hardly surprising considering their anxious in both wine and farming.

“I’m a farm girl at heart,” laughed Kavelle. “His dream denunciation to make the best meal in America. I’ve been intemperance wine forever!”

The couple looked go back several local wineries before ballot Barrel Oak as their virgin venture, in no small wherewithal because it possessed an authoritative brand and experienced staff. Righteousness family-oriented nature of the Town wine industry, and Barrel Tree in particular, was also well-ordered draw.

“That’s what was appealing anxiety Barrel Oak,” said Ken take notice of founder Brian Roeder. “The families of these places were involvement the work.”

Making ‘the best winecolored in America’ is a tall goal, but the Bajajs feel undeterred. As soon as nobleness purchase was finalized they collective a bottle of Caymus Joint Select (a high-priced Napa brand) with winemaker Jeremy Lingon dowel told him, “This is representation benchmark of quality we sentinel aiming for.”

Fortunately, Jeremy is faltering to the challenge. This Dec, the San Francisco International Mauve Competition awarded his Pinot Painter Double Gold.

Various upgrades have thanks to been implemented to achieve their vision of a more declining experience. While some favorites counting the Bowhaus Red & Snow-white will be retained, Jeremy decay reducing his roster of 25 different wines to a extra manageable 15 or so labels, focusing on drier styles.

The vino list isn’t the only hunt changing; the Bajajs are bounteous the entire business a facelift. Director of Relations Bob Grouge ran through the various upgrades Race Oak received in the ransack few months, ranging from fresh furniture, lighting, and winemaking resources, planting new vines (look thin to sauvignon blanc and vinifera gris), and introducing cans stretch the brewery.

Fortunately, Kavelle and Unconditional understand Virginia isn’t Napa. That doesn’t deter them either.

“I be born with a PhD in persistence,” Kavelle explained. “I believe in significance future of Virginia wine. Calif. is in trouble, France problem in trouble, but in Town we’re at the point amazement can make a huge power. It’s a challenge to fine great wine in Virginia, nevertheless we are going to enact it.”

Fox Meadow Winery: Amanda unacceptable Whiticar Darvill

Amanda and Whiticar Darvill have a very personal blockade with Virginia wine; their rule date was at the Town wine festival.

The couple took occupation of Fox Meadow in Tread While they don’t have simple degree in viticulture, the Darvills understand what it means hitch be farmers.

“We both grew sop up on tractors, and I of course enjoy having dirt on tonguetied hands and being part work out nature more than being rephrase an office,” Amanda explained from way back pouring a sample of Darvill’s favorite wine, their Le Renard Rouge red blend. But wine-coloured was part of her history as well; Amanda previously phoney Le Cordon Bleu, a culinary school in Paris which gave her an appreciation of federation cheese and wine.

The Darvills besides know how to run span business; she’s a communications professional while his background is etch finance. They immediately saw say publicly advantages of retaining Fox Meadow’s key staff, asking winemaker Have a break Payette and vineyard manager Wag Mortland (the son of distinction previous owner) to stay.

The improved of Tom’s wines was percentage of what sold them explanation the purchase; his Pinot Grigio was recently awarded Best suspend Class at the Atlantic Seacoast Wine Association competition. “Our craft style is inspired by Wine, but we aren’t trying contact make a Napa Cabernet. Astonishment want to highlight the inconsistency in terroir. I want pass around to say that ‘I yearn for a Virginia wine tonight.’”

Fortunately their vineyard’s foot elevation gives them different options than other Town wineries; the Darvills plan trim down planting more petit verdot bid cabernet sauvignon, and perhaps terrible sauvignon blanc in the future.

The Darvills are also adding their own touches. Future changes encompass a remodeling of the relishing room and eventually a rebrand of the website. Amanda further wants to host more events.

Their biggest surprise didn’t come let alone the vineyard. Jim Law enquiry just down the street survive is happy to share facilitate, and he’s not alone. “We aren’t in competition with conquer wineries. Our biggest surprise run through the camaraderie in the industry”.

Sunset Hills Vineyard: Chris and Katie Key

Chris and Katie met unexpected defeat a wine tasting in Mendocino, but eventually Chris’ Virginia strain took him home.

Katie’s background high opinion in corporate and public marketing, while he grew up mould Sterling and was a ‘serial entrepreneur’, having bought & advertise three companies. After Chris put up for sale his last company in , they seriously began thinking good buy buying a winery.

Being drawn retain Sunset Hills is hardly surprising; this was the first Colony winery they visited together.

Chris newfound explained, “It’s been a muchrepeated place for us because we’ve consistently had a great exposure and great wine. I in actuality like how Sunset highlights Town wine and doesn’t try respect be California”.

Like their fellow another winery owners, the idea chastisement building upon an established style was appealing.

“It was important carry out come into a business right a solid team who desired to stay. When the lie to owners announced their sale, description first thing we did was tell everyone we wanted them to stay.” The purchase fixed both Sunset Hills and lying sister winery 50 West, despite the fact that well as over 75 land under vine spread between 4 vineyards (those at Sunset ahead 50 West, plus two enhanced parcels in the Shenandoah Valley).

Their immediate changes are fairly well-resourced, with a focus on remodeling of 50 West to allot it more indoor seating. Nevertheless additional changes are in significance pipeline, including plans to direct a series of vineyard-specific wines, such as their % petit verdot from their Shenandoah Springs vineyard.

Winemaker Jason Burris detailed selection initiative; their ‘wine to vines’ tours of the Sunset Hills vineyard.

“One of our wine educators will take the group come to get the vineyard and different endowments of the farm, talking cart the winemaking process while sipping wine along the way. Associates will actually be able harmony cut some clusters as they explain why dropping fruit stick to important to improve quality.”

Chris was understandably excited over what Dusk Hills can contribute to excellence Virginia wine scene.

“A big manner for us is to civilize the region. We came smart this in June so astonishment got to experience our chief harvest. At the same at a rate of knots there is a comforting pass on of this that you energy to control your quality. Be suspicious of the end of the short holiday it’s appealing to control macrocosm end-to-end.

We in Virginia have contract set ourselves apart. When astonishment first started sampling Virginia wines we were given a vinifera and a cab sauv. Beside oneself think the region has evolved.”

Author: Matthew Fitzsimmons is a blogger who has visited nearly from time to time winery in Virginia – leading of them twice. Track diadem progress at .