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4/11/12 Indagare® - Print Article - Food/Wine: People: Wine with a Conscience - The next generation of travel …

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Food/Wine: People: Wine with a Conscience

Wine with a ConscienceIn the spring of 2010, while on a date at Blackberry Farm, Charles and Ali Banks made a listof things they wanted to cultivate during the next decade of their lives. At the time, they wereliving any aspiring vintner’s fantasy – running Napa’s Screaming Eagle Winery, a producerof very expensive cult wines and one of the world’s truly special vineyards. Despite the factthat they were consistently making wines that scored over 95 points, sold for hundreds ofdollars a bottle, and drew waiting lists numbering in the thousands, there were items on theirown list that needed some attention – and perhaps new room to grow.

Out of a conviction that wine should be a means of bringing people together (and a hunchthat it could also be a powerful instrument of humanitarian ministration), a new brand wasborn. Cultivate, its name a tribute to the conversation that inspired it, would give its foundersthe opportunity to make wines to which a much greater number of people could relate –wines that were artfully crafted yet down-to-earth – wines that were sharable. But wine wasn’tthe only thing Charles and Ali wanted to share; they also wanted to share the returns – 10%of their gross revenue, to be exact – with non-profit organizations working on behalf ofeducation and basic human needs.

And so they did. Here’s how their innovative business model works: Cultivate’s team createsbespoke blends using grapes that they’ve hand-selected from the best harvests of theseason at the best value in the industry. These blends are the product of years ofexperience, tireless world travel, and obsessive tastings (in Chile last year, chief winemakerNat Gunter sampled no fewer than 900 lots of Cabernet, Carmenere, and Merlot in order toensure the label’s now popular Copa Cabana would deliver the perfect amount of spice).Cultivate then donates 10% of quarterly revenue from the sale of these wines to charitableorganizations chosen by its consumers. This process, called “The Give”, takes place on thecompany’s website, where non-profits eagerly campaign for sponsorship, and in turn, visitorsvote for the causes they find most compelling. At the end of each quarter, the organizationswith the most votes collect their winnings. Cultivate sold its first bottle last November andwas able to give away $100,000 this quarter. In just five months, it has already funded 22different charities.

Indagare spoke to the Ali and Charles about their unique concept and company.

What inspired you to embrace a business model based on giving away a portion ofthe earnings?

“We’re convinced that integrating business and charity ultimately renders them both moresustainable, and resourceful entrepreneurs are beginning to catch on. Tom’s Shoes is anexemplary success story (for every pair it sells, the wildly popular shoe retailer donatesanother pair to a child in need). The better we do what we do best, the more money we giveaway, the more profoundly we impact our community. We believe that this is the future ofphilanthropy in our country – capitalism that has a ‘give-back’ piece baked into its DNA.”

What are some of the ways in which grant-winning organizations have turned their



Cultivate dollars into material support for education and basic human needs?

“Our first $10,000 winner was Jones Valley Urban Farm of Birmingham, Alabama. In 2001,the organization’s founders turned an abandoned downtown lot in into an organic teachingfarm. After the transformation was complete, JVUF partnered with local public schools to offerhands-on agriculture and nutrition education to elementary students. The steadily growingprogram, called “Seed to Plate”, gives children the opportunity to experience the pleasureand satisfaction of planting, growing, harvesting, and preparing their own healthy food. Withits Cultivate grant, JVUF was able to add an entire school to its roster.”

Cultivate recently took part in a collaboration between Outstanding in the Field andBlackberry Farm. What will you most remember about the experience?

“Definitely the company. It was wonderful to collaborate with such a passionate team ofpeople – people for whom work is not a job, but a calling. Of course it was also a thrill todebut our wines in a place that is so special to us both.”

Among the Cultivate wines currently in distribution, which is your favorite pick forspring?

Charles: “Spring lamb is one of my favorite seasonal rituals, and it pairs beautifully with rich,rustic Malbecs. I would pick The Gambler, and I would enjoy it with a roasted leg of lamboutside in the garden.”

Ali: “I look forward to drinking brighter, more refreshing wines in the springtime. I would waituntil one of those luminous Saturday afternoons when spring and summer are barelydistinguishable, and I would load up the boat with friends and a few boxes of Wonderlust, oureasygoing Chardonnay from Chile’s Colchagua Valley. Nothing else needed for a perfectEast Coast cocktail cruise.”

Which emerging wine regions are most exciting to you right now?

“For its sheer immensity—Argentina. There is just so much land! Someone in Patagonia willmake a fabulous Pinot Noir in our lifetime. Priorat in Catalonia also has a really specialpioneer energy. The enthusiasm of all of the young people who are getting involved inwinemaking is making it feel like a grassroots movement. The region is known for itsGrenache, which is one of our favorite underrated grapes. For whites, we are wild aboutSouth Africa, which is just beginning to come into its own. Before long, South Africanwinemakers should be making the best white wine for their money in the world. It’s going tobe a really fun ten to fifteen-year run.”

Wine and travel can make great companions. Do you have a favorite indulgentvineyard escape (or two) that you’d recommend to oenophile travelers?

“It doesn’t hurt that great wine tends to get made in beautiful places with fabulous weather.For a dreamy Napa getaway, we love the Poetry Inn and its magnificent sweeping views ofthe surrounding vineyards. For travelers interested in venturing further afield (and furtherback in vinicultural history), the French medieval village of Saint-Emilion, whose firstvineyards were planted by Roman monks in the 2nd century, is home to Hostellerie dePlaisance, a Relais & Chateaux haven with an outstanding restaurant. Then again, as far asnatural beauty is concerned, the drama of South Africa’s Cape Winelands is simply unrivaled,with Atlantic and Indian Oceans ever converging in the distance.”



Any vineyards in particular that you’d recommend as part of an easy daytrip fromCape Town?

“The Stellenbosch Valley is famously scenic and less than an hour from Cape Town. Weactually own a vineyard there, Mulderbosch, which has a beautiful new tasting room withoutdoor seating, bocce courts, and a wood-burning pizza oven. DeMorgenzon would makeanother interesting stop in the area. The owners have studied the relationship between plantgrowth and sound energy, and they play classical baroque music to their vines from sun up tosun down! Even more convenient to Cape Town than Stellenbosch Valley is the ConstantiaValley, less than 15 miles from the city center. Klein Constantia is one of its oldest and bestproducers. They make a sweet wine called the Vin de Constance that is off the chartsdelicious.”

As Georgia natives and California transplants, you have the bicoastal inside scoop.Where would you send visitors for the best food and wine Atlanta and Santa Barbarahave to offer?

“Todd Rushing’s Midtown Atlanta empire is always a sure bet. You couldn’t go wrong withany of his restaurants, but Two Urban Licks (820 Ralph McGill Blvd.; 404-522-4622) isespecially fun, with soulful small plates and great live music. The menu at Holeman andFinch Public House (2277 Peachtree Rd.; 404-948-1175), another favorite, is wonderfullycreative and unpretentious. We also love Local Three (3290 Northside Parkway; 404-968-2700). The three locals who run it are serious about libations. It has a great funky wine list.

“As for the West Coast, dinner on the Stonehouse Terrace at San Ysidro Ranch is one ofSanta Barbara’s greatest pleasures. The setting is magical at almost any time of year, with awood-burning fireplace and gorgeous views to the Pacific. Tre Lune (1151 Coast Village Rd.;805-969-2646), also in Montecito, is our local go-to for classic northern Italian fare andwines to match.

What will you “cultivate” next?

“Fable, our new vineyard in the Tulbagh Valley. More remote and challenging thanMulderbosch, Fable is tucked into the folds of the majestic Witzenberg Mountains. We’reexcited about our plans to add rustic accommodations – perhaps tree houses or yurts, andopen Fable to overnight visitors. We farm biodynamically there, battling severe weather,fires, leopards and baboons, but we make beautiful wines that tell the story of the place andits environment.”

Visit Cultivate’s website.

Read Indagare’s destination report on Santa Barbara.

Read an article on blending your own wine.

Read a Q&A with a wine maker from Oregon.

— Cabell Belk 04/05/2012

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