June 24, 2025 • 38 mins
Today on Brewsers, we talk to Blake with Velvet Buck Vineyards. We talk about how Velvet Buck came to be, pairing with hunters, and so much more. Follow us on instagram and twitter at Brewserspod. Like, share, review, enjoy and cheers. #brewsers #brewserspod #Enjoylife #DrinkLocal #Cheers
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
What Welcome to Bruisers podcast about beer, coffee, booze and bruisers.
(00:23):
I am your host, Rody John and today we talked
to you Blake with velvet Buck Vineyards. We talk about
how velvet Buck came to be pairing with Hunters and
so much more. This is such a fun conversation. Velvet
Buck Vineyards is just starting up and you are not
gonna want to miss it. So you don't want to
hear the story from me, you want to hear from him.
So without further ado, here is Blake with velvet Buck Vineyards.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I would like to welcome the show Blake with velvet
Buck Vineyards. How are you doing today, sir?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I'm doing great. Thank you so much for having me on.
Thanks for being on.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
So for those listening kind of paintings the word picture,
where you at, what's going on around you?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:12):
So I am at our home base of Pasta Robols, California.
And for anybody that doesn't know Paso, we are pretty
much right in the middle between La and San Francisco,
so we're kind of in no man's land on the
central coast California. So I am upstairs above our cellar
and nice quiet place, and it is about ninety eight
degrees outside taking shelter in the ac Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Being here in North Texas, it is around that it insane,
but yours is far more beautiful than ours is.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, it's beautiful and we're lucky.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
And part of the reason that you know, still is
so great for growing grapevines here is we have that
huge diurnal shift, so it can be one hundred degrees
during the day and then at night no matter how
hot it is, it's there's a forty to fifty degree
temperature every single day, which is awesome.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
At least makes it easy to sleep, Oh for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I was talking to somebody earlier about how I haven't
been to like the Napa area, which is obviously north
of San Francisco. I've been there in over a decade so,
and then Passo area I'd never I've been in the
wine industry for about fifteen issues, I have never unfortunately
been to that area. So it's definitely somewhere on my list.
But then I've been to California other than LA and
(02:27):
you know many years as well.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Yeah, well you're due, and I would say for those
that have been to Napa and maybe haven't been to Paso.
The way i'd kind of compare Paso is I am
from the Napa area and that's what got me to
fall in love with wine and want to pursue that
this as a as a career. But Napa is still
I mean, it's hard to find a place to go
in and do a wine tasting for one hundred and
fifty dollars, and Passo to us still kind of feels
(02:50):
like the.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Wild West where we're still kind of up and coming.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I've heard a few people say that Paso's still trying
to figure out what we want to be when we
grow up.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
So it really is fun to be somewhere.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
That is super approachable, and if you're not familiar with
wine tasting, it's a great place to start kind of
dipping your toes in the water.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Right.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
It is kind of interesting that Napa has just grown
to this this almost like not godlike, but just like
this otherworldly where people think of all the fantastic wine
comes from there. It's like, yes, there is a lot
of great wine that comes from but the Passo in
the in the Monterey area so much I think better wine.
And maybe it's because, like you said, they don't still
(03:29):
don't have their identity, so they can kind of just
throw things against the wall and be like, Okay, well
this works, Oh this also works, or we could do.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
This down here absolutely where if you're a Nappa producer,
you got to be growing tabernet. They've got there there
in Granted, I love love Napple wines, and they've done
so much for really any American wine growing area, really
put us on the map, but it's turned into adult
Disneyland to where it's it's just it's so expensive to
go have a have a weekend.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, yeah, unless you're in the industry and then somehow
it's a little cheaper. But yeah, that's right. Well, let's
go all the way back in time. What is your
earliest memory of alcohol?
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, actually going back to kind of the Napa area.
So I was actually.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
A junior in high school and I grew up in
a little town called Benetia, thirty minutes south of Napa.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
And one of my first paid jobs ever, I was
seventeen and I worked a harvest at family friends vineyard
up in Healsburg. And obviously seventeen years old, I had
no palate for wine. I just fell I mean spending
a summer just immersed and being in a cellar every
day and seeing what it takes to make a bottle
(04:38):
of wine. I just fell in love with more so
so the people in the culture that comes with the
wine industry, more so than wine itself. But I would
say that's kind of when things started to click for me.
So I knew that's what I wanted to do.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
So I only applied to colleges that offered of wine
and viticulture department. So I ended up going to cal
Pauly and San Luis Obispo and how a bunch of
different internships along the way, and then decided that the
Central Coast felt like home and wanted to stick around here.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
What was it about the I mean, like you said earlier,
it was you know, the community building and then the
camaraderie of you know, sharing bottles and obviously doing your
own harvest is a huge thing. So like, what was
it about coming back to it, Because obviously by the
time you had left and come back, things have changed
a little bit. What was it about the whole culture
that you were just really wanting to immerse yourself back into.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
As far as when I finished my degree, Yes, or gosh,
it's just still that there's very few things that you
can you can study and dedicate your career to where
you're physically making something that people can enjoy. And I
love the hospitality side of the wine industry and that
was some of my really early experiences, just working in
(05:50):
a tasting room. And one thing I love when somebody
comes in the winery. Nobody's ever in a bad mood.
They chose to be there, they're drinking wine, and it's
just a very enjoyable environment. But yeah, I think it's
I think just being surrounded by by happy people that
kind of kind of pulled me back in.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
It's true. Plus, you get so many people that I
imagine who don't, like you said, don't know anything about wine,
and so they come in with this this wide open palette,
you know, no pen intended, and you get to actually
kind of curate their adventure and be like, oh, let's
start here and then you can go here, and then
you know, just see what you do and.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Don't like all the way.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
And I think the most fun part for me is
the people that don't have a lot of experience in
wine and are very intimidated and think there's all these
rules they need to follow, But trying to demystify some
of that is something that I've grown passionate about and
turning wine on to people that maybe never.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Thought to pick up a bottle in the grocery store before. Right.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeah, I was talking to somebody and they said, the
wine and alcohol aisle in general is the most user
unfriendly aisle that there is in the entire store because
most of the time there's nobody there to help you
unless you already know what you're getting yourself into. Then
you can either spend way too much, we're way too little,
or just not find anything that you properly enjoyed.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Yeah, and that's why people kind of find their favorites
and stick with it. But I mean, it's it's such
a shame to to pigeonhole yourself like that because there's
so many great wines out there. So it's a lot
of trial and error, which you know, can make some
expensive errors if you roll the dice and end up
hitting it. But that's what makes it fun. Same thing
with beer and whiskey. Really with anything, it's like got
(07:26):
to branch out and experiment, Right.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
I always said, I always tell people to give yourself
kind of like a cap as to how much you
really want to spend, and then anything under that experiment
do whatever you want, and then anything above that, do
your research, see what other people are saying. Obviously, everyone's
palate is going to be different how they had it,
when they had it, what they had it with is
going to be a complete different situation. But you know,
you could just still play a rent. I mean, it's
your palette, it's your money. You can kind of do
(07:52):
whatever you want.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah, And I guess that's a I've got
a question for you. If that's all right, go for it,
ask away.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
But kind of going off of that, there's so many
amazing brands out there. There's so much going on, especially
within wine. But what kind of caught your eye about
Belt the Buck. I know we connected over Instagram and
we're new, we're up and coming, but I was kind
of curious about that.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
So I've worked for here in Texas. There is right
now too, maybe a three is coming up big distributors.
I worked for the biggest at the time for about
fourteen years. I got out of it for a couple
of years and I got back in with a smaller
company that's you know, family owned, woman owned for twenty years,
(08:34):
and that's when I really got to see the kind
of boutique in smaller vineyards or you know, I had
never heard about a Kerment Lynch and I had been
in the industry for fourteen years, Like, how was that impossible?
And that dude helped bring in what all the great
French wines that are you know we have in America
now and all the other great stuff from Europe And
at that point, I mean now back now I'm not
(08:56):
with the same distributor. I'm with the biggest now in Texas.
But that really kind of caught my eye. I was like,
you know what, there is so much great, smaller Boutiqueish
wines that people just don't know about yet. Like I know,
I started Cupcake here in Texas, and you know, I've
sold Thedaby, I've sold all the big ones. But when
it comes to a new wine and new just vineyards
(09:18):
and like people's new take on what they want to
do with wine, I always find that to be fascinating
because again, like you said, you guys are just starting up.
You guys just bottled y'all's first blend this past weekend.
Right right, Yeah, and so like I want to help
tell that story. And yes, you guys just started now,
but like, what is three years, five years, whatever however
really is going to look like for you guys.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Yeah, well I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
No problem. Well, I mean, let's let's talk about it.
How did Velvet Buck Vineyards even begin?
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Yeah, so that's kind of the first thing. So, yes,
it is Velvet Buck is brand new, and you know,
we it's kind of a blank roadmap right now. We
know where we want to go. But we are under
the umbrella called the Craigstolar Collection. So we do have
a couple other wineries that we are running, Sextant Wines
(10:08):
and Paris Valley Road Estate Winery out of Passo, so
it is under the umbrella. But this, I mean totally
just a brand new concept. But I will tell the
ownership story really quick because this really did all start with.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
My boss, Craig Stoller, So.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
He's got a really interesting story and it really starts
with his dad, Glenn Stoller, who also went to cal
Pauly and San Luis Obispo and he was a horticulture student.
So he graduated in the late nineteen sixties and went
back to his hometown of Bakersfield, kind of unsure what
that horticulture degree was going to end up doing for him,
but he ended up founding in nineteen seventy seven a
(10:48):
nursery called Sunridge Nurseries, and at the time it was
one of the very first providers of plant material for
wine and table grape.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Vineyards in the United States.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
They started really small, kind of you know, expanded production
a little bit every couple of years and up till
this point. Now they're one of the largest providers of
rootstock and plant material for wine, table grape vineyards in
the entire world. So they're responsible for about thirty percent
of all planted vineyards in the United States. So that's
(11:20):
it's kind of what drew me to work for the
company is you know, I love that they've been in
the business so long and on the agriculture side, because
I think that really comes through with a lot of
Craig's wine, where he knows that, you know, winemakers don't
have an easy job, but a lot of hard work
and the very not so glamorous work is done in
(11:41):
the vineyard and that's something that he knows better than anybody.
So a lot of his wines are very hands off
in the winemaking approach, and you're really tasting the grape
for what it is meant to be. So we've been
up and running with Sexton and Paris Valley Road for
really since two thousand and four. Craig and I actually
(12:01):
started with a conversation where he approached me. He's like, hey, Blake,
I've got a trademark for this brand. I don't know
what it's going to turn into, but the trademark I
have is Velvet Buck. I think it could be something
I don't know what, And just the two of us
kind of going back and forth, where we landed is,
you know, the most amazing thing about wine is it's
(12:23):
connection to food.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Like there's nothing.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
That works with food or elevate your food, or really
can act as another ingredient in whatever it is you're
eating like wine. And you know, as Craig and I
are both very passionate about hunting and fishing, there are
very few people that take cooking as seriously as somebody
that just put in the work to go harvest their
own meat. So we were like, what if we were
to marry these two ideas and really lean in with
(12:49):
the wine that totally understands the ethos of a hunter
and an outdoorsman and just take it and run with
it because there's really nobody out there going after this market.
There's a couple you might see camouflage label or you know,
a duck decoy on on the babble, but there's nobody
that's that's uh, you know, fully going after it. And
(13:09):
that's where we thought we could come in and maybe
fill a little a little bit of a white space.
But also, I mean, I never thought I would marry
my two loves of wine and the outdoors with the
wine product. So that has been just very exciting for me.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
And and I don't know if you'd seen this on
social media, but we we just announced a partnership with
meat Eater. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
I was gonna ask, Yeah, which is you know, one
of the top voices in kind of that outdoor space.
And what I've always loved about me Eater is it's
equal parts of the hunting show as it is a
cooking show. And that's where we thought there could be
a really fun, fun tie in. So we're we're kicking
off with them with the premier sponsor for the American
West Podcast with Dan Flores, and I highly recommend everybody
(13:53):
goes and listens to it, and it just paints this
unbelievable picture of kind of the untold history of the
American West. But that's that's kind of who we are
and where the idea came from.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
That's beautiful. Yeah, I do think that we are definitely
in an interesting time where, you know, there are still
some people that think, you know, hunting is brutality and
all this stuff other stuff, and it's like, well, no,
people just want to know exactly where their their meat
is coming from. And so it's not like they're just
killing it to kill it. They're killing it to eat
it and use every bit of part of it. And
(14:25):
there is so much that goes into you know, yeah,
you kill it and then you get all the meat.
That's a lot of meat for people who don't think
about it, like that's a lot of meat. And so
a lot of times people will give it away or
store it and freezers and you know, eat on it
for you know, months, if not years. And so I
love that you guys are actually marrying the two of
(14:47):
when it does come to wine and when it comes
to actual you know, wild meat awesome.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Yeah, it's gonna be fun.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
We did a little test r on Friday was bottling
day and so we be paired for run a velvet
buck with some some nice fresh venison burgers and it worked.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
It's going to be a great bearing.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Well, how did you guys, So you guys have a
red blend or you're starting with a red blend.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Starting with the red blend, we want to make one
wine and make, you know, put our best foot forward,
kind of see what happens and honestly just see how
people receive the idea. But I would love, you know,
eventually to do a.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Some sort of white blend, something fun and a little
bit edgy. But I think we see.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
Some some line extensions coming hopefully if if the concept
takes well.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
So what are the percentages? What all goes into the red?
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:36):
So percentages Off the top of my head, I'm not
going to give you a super accurate but pretty close,
pretty close to equal parts. But the backbone of the
blend is Sarah. Then we got a little petitsa in there,
some cab, some are low and just a little bit
of zen to kind of give it a little bit
of juice and kind of take the fruit up up
a notch and then for the oak program is spent.
(15:58):
It was about twenty percent new friendship for eighteen months,
so definitely some some pretty extended, okaging, very nice, and
we tasted, you know, fifty different variations of what ended
up going into the bottle. But at the end of
the day, we wanted something that stands up on its own,
but also is going to be pretty versatile with any
(16:19):
food you throw at it. We didn't want it to
be too overpowering, so we didn't use a whole lot
of cab right, because we didn't want it to be
one of those wines where it's it's red meat or
nothing else. We wanted to be, you know, paired with
you know, duck venison, even salmon. I would pair this
wine with salmon in any day of the week.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
I was going to ask, because I know you guys
started you were wanting to do with white as well,
and obviously we all know white goes better with seafood,
so this actually does pair well with the salmon.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
And I think again, like with what I was saying earlier,
with people being intimidated and rule following, Yeah, I just
think with food and wine pairing, it's so objective, like
you just got to experiment with with what you like.
But for me, especially if it's coming off the barbecue,
like cedar playing grilled salmon with a pino or or
(17:06):
a GSM or a lighter red blend, I think is
definitely an underrated pairing. But there's there's no wrong answers
until you find something that just doesn't work.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, that's true. So how did when I mean, when
you guys are starting a business. Obviously guys, you guys
had the name and you guys built from there. How
did you guys come up with the bottle? The label?
Obviously you know you guys are screw cap right, No.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
It's actually gonna be it's actually gonna be pork. I've
got the bottle right here there.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Oh yeah that's good.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
We thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Yeah, that's going to just jump off those shelves.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
I hope. So.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
And the one thing that I love and you can't
tell just looking at it, but when you go to
pick it up and you're in a grocery store or
you know, bartenders pouring it, the label is actually built up.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Oh, it's got a really really cool texture to it.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
That's ad.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Yeah, we it was a lot of trial and error.
But Craig, my boss, I don't know exactly how long it.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Took him to kind of come up with this design,
but he had it pretty early on. So we had
the label and the name, and then from there we
just I mean the most important thing is, like you know,
we love wine, we.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Love to hunt, we love to fish.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
So we just put ourselves and basically made a product
that we were marketing to ourselves. So it was pretty
easy in that front. But yeah, and then another just
quick shout out to another awesome partner we have on
the line. But there is a really amazing organization called
Backcountry Hunters and Anglers And what they do is they
(18:38):
are the boots on the ground, voice and the ones
doing the heavy lifting to keep public lands wild, open
and accessible. So they do a lot of cleanup work
but really a lot of cleanup work and fundraising, but
they also do a lot of work in Washington, DC
and just fighting for pro public land access as far
(19:01):
as new laws and bills coming out.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
So a healthy portion of every case sold.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Is going to go directly to back country Hunters and
Anglers and kind of keep them equipped to keep fighting
the good fight.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I love it.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
And even if you even if you don't hunt and fish,
public lands are just so important to just keep for
for the generations to come.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah, when I got out of the wine industry for
two years, I was in residential construction and I was
just I'd be in these places or yeah, we're building homes.
But then like we're right next to these beautiful fields
or woods and I'm looking, I'm like, these are all
gonna be taken up at some point. It's gonna be
stupid Starbucks or Target or whatever it is. And I'm
just like, what are we doing? Like they don't have
enough stuff or we don't have no concrete and land,
(19:41):
Like why do we need to keep you know, building
in more and more?
Speaker 3 (19:44):
It's just absolutely nuts, Absolutely no, they're they're doing great
work and it's yeah, very important.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
That's awesome. So, I mean, obviously, distribution is a huge
thing when it comes to any product. How is the
distribution working for you all right now? Because like you
just said, you guys just bottled your first You know,
how many bottles do you guys end up bottling?
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Do you remember? So we we did about twenty two
hundred cases, that's awesome.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Yeah, so we're just going for it. Yeah, but we're so.
It will be available for direct consumer purchases. It will
be available on our website probably in the next couple
of months, probably sooner, probably within the next month, will
be live, but that will be the next journey is
I've got a few conversations started on on on where
this really is going to be distributed and.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
How that's going to happen.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
There's a chance that it could just be a regional
costco product and see where that goes. But that part
of the story is still still up in the air.
And as as you know, being in the business, it's
it's it's tough out there, yeah, especially in line. But
but we're confident that we have something that is unique
enough and and is so focused on on who it
(20:55):
is we're going after that we will find a home
for it. So I think the states right off the
bat that we see distribution a pretty clear path to
distribution as Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Texas, and Alaska.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Weirdly enough makes sense.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
I mean, I imagine those are the biggest and probably Canada
as well, if you guys, you want to do it
that way too. But yeah, when it comes to hunting,
like those are kind of what a lot of people
think the best place is.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
Totally no, And I think our our dream if we
could wave our magic wand from the winery to be
just you know, exclusive with Costco and really focusing on
those stage I just mentioned, and you know, primarily in
Texas because it's such a just a powerhouse market.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Yes, no, without a doubt, I mean north and South,
Like the whole state is just insane. And it's so
funny when I look at certain you know, statistics or whatever,
when they're like, oh, the whole country and then they
zoom in just on Texas and like that one takes
up most of everything. That all the numbers that they're
looking at.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Yeah, that's exactly.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
Yeah, except I was just up in Alaska, and they
sure like to throw out that, uh, Texas is the
second biggest state in the Union.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
I Land, not by Popularia or anything else. Well, I'll
give them that. They got a lonch of just like
random stuff that they could just you know, you're not
driving across all of Alaska. We'll tell you that. I
don't know the islands there's yeah, don't count.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
They could have it, But in the continental where everybody
actually lives and goes that you're.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
The biggest, so we'll let them have it.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Yeah, they have to have something. They're all by themselves.
They're basically Canada. A lot of people think that, you know,
they could still just run over to Russia and they'll.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Be Okay, it's so funny.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yeah, well, so I'm not a big hunter. What kind
of hunter? What kind of hunting do you like to do?
Speaker 3 (22:51):
So?
Speaker 4 (22:51):
I grew up primarily and where I lived in the
East Bay area of California, there's really the only thing
we had we had access to was waterfall hunting. So
I grew up hunting a lot of public land. There's
a great place to hunt called Grizzly Island, but mostly duck,
a little bit of pheasant. I've actually never shot a
(23:12):
deer myself. I've been on a couple of deer hunts,
but I'm one of those guys where I I just
like being out there. I like being with my friends,
being in the outdoors, and you know, if you do
have the opportunity to harvest something, that's just a positive.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Yeah, the disconnection and like just just being out there
and just you know what people used to do hundreds
of years ago. It's just it's it's crazy. And I
think a lot more people, whether they're hunting or not,
just get into nature. Just go for a while, Like
just get out there and you know, be okay and
be centered with what you know, where you are and
what you're part of.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Absolutely, just just get outdoors. Yeah, it's it.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Well, so what has the reception been like for the wine?
Speaker 3 (23:53):
We'll find out. I don't think. I don't think anybody
has tasted it other than those of us here at
the winery.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
And we kind of on purpose, wanted to start getting
the name out there, getting our branding out there before
the wine was even ready. There's a world especially right now,
just to just build a little bit of hype before
there was even a product that you could.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Go go and purchase.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
So Bottled Friday and back Country Hunters and Anglers has
their annual Rendezvous three day event up in Missoula, Montana,
Thursday through Sunday, and that is going to be kind
of the.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Grand unveiling of the brand. So that's this coming week.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
So they're doing a field to table dinner for I
think about one hundred people and it's their biggest fundraiser
of the year. So Velvet Buck will be on every
table and I think it's three or four courses and
every course was kind of designed to pair with the wine.
So that's going to be a big day for the brand.
I mean, I'm not to I'm a little nervous. I mean,
(24:54):
it's kind of I feel like it's my baby at
this point. But I'm really confident of the juice. But
it's going to be all and to be there with
one hundred folk and and just see how the wine
really goes over and it will all be worth it
if the consensus is that people are happy, right, well.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Obviously yes, Well so I had to look this up.
What is velvet buck for people don't know what the
name actually means.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Yeah, so that's a great question.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
So there's a certain type of year usually, I mean
really from now to you know, maybe early fall, a
bucks antlers will actually what's called going into velvet. Yeah,
so they will be covered with with with velvet, and
you know, it's it's just a term that's thrown out
in hunting to describe a buck in velvet, and it's
(25:41):
kind of like the holy Grail for hunters if they
do shoot a buck in velvet, because it is rare
when for hunting season to be open to overlap with
the time a buck is in velvet is is not
very common.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Interesting. Yeah, I had to look that one up. I
had no idea, and I was like, that is yeah,
I definitely want to make sure everybody else knows about that.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Well, so.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
What does the next I mean, you guys are just starting,
but what do you think the next three to five
years looks like for you guys?
Speaker 3 (26:12):
That's a great that's a great question.
Speaker 4 (26:16):
The way I see it, I think in the next
three to five years, if we've got healthy distribution, if
we are you know, the one wine that might turn
some people that maybe never reach for wine before in
the grocery store. But if this is what starts to
get you know, certain people to turn and realize how
awesome wine really is with food and fits their lifestyle
(26:38):
so well, I just think right now there's so many
people going away from wine. It's just even in a
small way. If this is something that might bring people back,
that is what I see for it. I really don't
have you know, I'd like to say that we've become
a two hundred thousand case brand and be in every
Osco in the country, but probably not you know who knows.
(27:00):
But I think if we're you know, a household name,
we're easily accessible and you know we've got good, clean
merch and people are out repping our brand, that's that
would that's enough for me.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Yeah, that's true because people people will tell you how
they feel with their.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Wallet and it's it's huge totally. I think the thinking
about it a little bit. I think in five years,
if there's enough demand for Velvet Buck that we need
a Velvet Buck tasting room in Missoula, Montana, then I
I will be able to rest. I've done my job.
There you go, that's the dream.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Well, I mean so you kind of touched on it.
We are in a as we're recording this, we're in
a weird area where wine cells are down, beer sales
are down. The only thing really kind of profitable for
the most part is Selser's tequilas and bourbon and whiskey's
that whole realm.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, what do you think.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
It is about? I mean they keep saying the new
the next generation Z I think is the newest drinking
age that they're not drinking as much or whatever it is.
But how is it that we have had I guess
what they say, the millennials and then the gen X
and the boomers. How are they carrying the whole wine
industry for that long? It can't be that? Like, what
(28:15):
is it that? Do you think that the wine industry
needs to maybe do or turn something on its head
or change or whatever?
Speaker 4 (28:24):
It is My personal and I don't know if this
is right or not, but my you know, marinating on
this for a while, my personal feelings are that the
wine industry has you know, it's the oldest fermented beverage.
It's kind of been the same for a long time.
And I think that the wine industry as a whole
is maybe you know, ten to fifteen years behind any
(28:44):
other industry. Yeah, because they really they really haven't had
any reason to change. But I think tequila, RTBS, Cancock
to bills, all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
I think they're they're so new and they're so nimble.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
They're really good at showing up where millennials and gen
z are to where traditional wine marketing. You make an
amazing wine, you get good packaging, you submit it to
Robert Parker or wine spectator, you get a good score
and it sells. Yeah, And I just don't think that
that is how it's going to be anymore. I don't
think that the average millennial or gen Z. I heard
(29:19):
a new term the other day. This is allennial of
just lumping them both together.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
So that would be the bridge between millennials and gen
Z kind of like, I mean, I'll be forty two
in August, so I'm the bridge between gen X and
the millennials. So it's like, yeah, so I got good enough.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
That's just uh.
Speaker 4 (29:41):
So, I think that the wine industry just has to
do a better job. I think follow follow urtds, but
just show up where the people are. I mean it,
it's one of the oldest alcoholic beverages that humans have
been drinking.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
I don't think it's going anywhere.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
It's just we we have to we have to get
creative and and kind of change the tide.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
And I think that's what you guys are doing here,
because you guys are, like you said, you're narrowing your
radar to this one culture that is absolutely massive, and
it actually goes back to the beginning of time as well,
because how else were people going to eat or get
fed or feed a village if not going out there
and getting it themselves. So now you actually have something
(30:22):
that celebrates that. So it does seem like you guys
are doing what the wine industry is not doing and
actually focusing and narrowing your gaze as opposed to wanting.
I mean, yes, you want everybody to drink it, but
you guys want to really help this part of the
world that you know is still getting a lot of traction,
but you know, maybe not getting as much attention as
(30:43):
you know everybody else should be giving it to.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
For sure, No, I appreciate it, and yeah, proof will
be in the pudding. We think we have a good
recipe and if nothing else, just an awesome ride. If
we can raise a few bucks for public Land and
in the meantime, that's just an amazing bonus.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
But we will see.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Yeah, I don't I don't think we've had too many
people really put the spotlight as much on public Land
since maybe Teddy Roosevelt. This is insane.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
Yeah, there we go. Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Well go ahead.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
Yeah, I wish I would have sent you a bottle
before we sat down for this podcast, but definitely can't
wait to see what you think.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
About it.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
Yes, I would love to try any and all. So yes,
please send it, Please send it my way. I love that.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Awesome. Well, we'll definitely do that.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Awesome. Well, I have a segment. Shall I call it
the five countich just five random questions?
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Okay? Do it?
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Who was your first celebrity crush?
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Jessica Simpson?
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Nice? Yeah, I get that. If you were a progress
or MMA fighter, what would your name be?
Speaker 3 (31:47):
That's a great question. I think i'd go John Clegg.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Good luck people pronouncing that last thing. It's not gonna
work out well for you as uh well, I mean,
speaking of which, what would your last meal be?
Speaker 4 (32:05):
Oh, that's a great question. There's a barbecue place out
in my Why am I blanking?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (32:15):
Where's the University of tuscaloosaclose to Alabama. It's called Dreamland Barbecue,
and i' I mean barbecue is another passion of mine.
I love the barbecue home, but I still have yet
to have anything to come close than Dreamland Barbecue ribs.
So it'd be that my grandma's potato salad. Honestly, I'd
(32:36):
go simple kind of backyard cookout vibe for my last meal,
little little coal slaw. And then finish it up with
a skillet chocolate chip cookie with some vanilla ice cream.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Oh yeah, and then obviously velvet buck.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
I'm thinking about that answer, what's that?
Speaker 2 (32:49):
And then obviously some velvet buck.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
WHI you're out there, absolutely and it pairs with every
part of that that meal.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Yeah. Who are what inspires you?
Speaker 4 (32:58):
That's a great question. So my dad's one of my
biggest inspirations. And then my previous boss, Chris Blake, he
was our director of sales for a good number of years.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
But both of those guys are my two biggest role models.
Speaker 4 (33:12):
And just have kind of given me the I think,
the groundwork to be a successful professional. And then also,
you know, a good dad, good good husband, just good
good human being.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
So I love love both those guys.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
That's awesome. And what would you tell your seventeen year
old self?
Speaker 4 (33:27):
I would say, at some point during college or right
after college, go work a harvest in New Zealand or
Australia or somewhere. That's probably my my biggest regret is
not doing a harvest abroad.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
There's still time.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
There is still time.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yeah, I mean you're in the industry. It's not like
you don't have connections that you could easily just go
do that.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
Yeah, one day, just might have to do it.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Yeah, there you go, Mark, got stuff from your bucket list.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Well I got to hear your answers too.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Ok Okay, first celebrity crush was either Jessica Rabbit or
Janet Jackson. I can't remember.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Jessica rabbits a sleeper, right, that's a that's a great answer.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
It's still so fantastic pro wrestling name. I when I
was growing up, I wanted to so Marilyn Manson. All
the people in the in the band had a combination
of like a pin up and a serial killer, which
you know, it's good for them, it's interesting. But I
was like, okay, I like that concept of like mixing
names and so at the time I was I can't
(34:25):
say I was a kiss fan, but I liked the
whole makeup and the everything they were doing. And so
I liked Ace Frehley a lot and so and then
I also like Kirk Hammett from Metallica. So I was
like Ace Hammett perfect nailed it. But now as I've
grown up, I would much rather be a manager because
that's a way longer career. Uh, so coach John, I
think seems to work out pretty well.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
There we go. I like it all right.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Last Meal. See I started asking this question before I
knew that there was a YouTube show called Last Meal.
And since I've seen that show, they do courses and
I'm like, oh, that's perfect because I can eat way
more than Yeah. So I think Jack and Fried's seak
has got to be in there. Pizza, I like sloppy
(35:08):
Joe's over rice.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I'm a weird guy like that.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Yeah, I've never liked it with the bun. Also, it's
it's already messy. What are we doing? Like, it's put
it over stuff you already eating.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
That's a pro move. I can get behind that.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Thank you?
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Who were?
Speaker 2 (35:22):
I think people in life in general just inspire me. Like,
if you're paying attention, there is so much stuff out
there that will just inspire you in like a quick
second or something just somebody says off handedly and you're like, oh, wow,
that's actually really nice and then get your brain going.
So I think just people in life in general really
kind of inspire me. Then what would I tell my
(35:43):
seventeen year old self, Well, be better with your money
and you don't have to chase all the girls. Just
make sure it's not quantity.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
It's a quality.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
Chase the right one, yes, chase the right one. So yeah,
I think those thank you, nobody's actually ask this is nice. Well,
if peopleant to find out more about y'all, follow you
online obviously, you know, buy the wine whenever they can.
How can they do all the things.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Yeah, so I think the best way right now to
kind of keep up with what we're doing is follow
our Instagram Velvet Buck Wine just real time updates.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
We try to keep it as up to date as possible.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
And then our website is www dot Velvet Buck Vineyards
dot com and actually just went live today, so John,
you have to check it out, let me know what
you think. And then yeah, right now, there's really no
way you can buy the wine, so it's sitting tight,
keeping keeping in touch with what we're what we're doing.
As soon as that is live to buy from our website,
that will probably be the the easiest way to get
(36:43):
it as soon as.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
It becomes available. And again I think that's three to
four weeks out.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
Perfect, that'd be that'd be amazing, just in time for
you know, fall time and end of summer that people love.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
That dear season.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Yeah, well, Blake, thank you so much for your time.
I cannot wait to get a model myself, and I
really can't wait to see again where you guys end
up being in the next three to five years and
then hopefully here in Texas all be distributing some of
your wife.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Well, thank you so much, John, I really appreciate the time,
and yeah for for giving.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
Us a chance to share the message anytime. Love what
you're doing. Keep up with awesome Mark, thank you absolutely.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Thank you so much to Blake for being on the
show again. Make sure to go check out Velvet Buck
Vineyards and definitely make sure to go find it in
your local stores sooner rather than later. So you were
going to follow them on social media to make sure
you find out where and when you can get it. Now,
while you're doing following them, go ahead and follow us
on social media. It is going to be bruisers Pod.
That is b R E W S E R S
p O D on the Instagram, the threads, and the Twitter.
(37:50):
If you want to send us an email, it is
Bruiserspod at gmail dot com. If you want to follow
me directly, it is Rody John. That is our O
d I E j o N. Rody John is the
name on the Twitter tapped in case you want to
find out when I'm drinking, maybe we can have a
beer together. If you're gonna follow me on the threads
or the Instagram. It is official Order of John. So
until next time, make sure to enjoy life, drink local
and cheers
What Welcome to Bruisers podcast about beer, coffee, booze and bruisers.
(00:23):
I am your host, Rody John and today we talked
to you Blake with velvet Buck Vineyards. We talk about
how velvet Buck came to be pairing with Hunters and
so much more. This is such a fun conversation. Velvet
Buck Vineyards is just starting up and you are not
gonna want to miss it. So you don't want to
hear the story from me, you want to hear from him.
So without further ado, here is Blake with velvet Buck Vineyards.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I would like to welcome the show Blake with velvet
Buck Vineyards. How are you doing today, sir?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I'm doing great. Thank you so much for having me on.
Thanks for being on.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
So for those listening kind of paintings the word picture,
where you at, what's going on around you?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:12):
So I am at our home base of Pasta Robols, California.
And for anybody that doesn't know Paso, we are pretty
much right in the middle between La and San Francisco,
so we're kind of in no man's land on the
central coast California. So I am upstairs above our cellar
and nice quiet place, and it is about ninety eight
degrees outside taking shelter in the ac Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Being here in North Texas, it is around that it insane,
but yours is far more beautiful than ours is.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, it's beautiful and we're lucky.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
And part of the reason that you know, still is
so great for growing grapevines here is we have that
huge diurnal shift, so it can be one hundred degrees
during the day and then at night no matter how
hot it is, it's there's a forty to fifty degree
temperature every single day, which is awesome.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
At least makes it easy to sleep, Oh for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I was talking to somebody earlier about how I haven't
been to like the Napa area, which is obviously north
of San Francisco. I've been there in over a decade so,
and then Passo area I'd never I've been in the
wine industry for about fifteen issues, I have never unfortunately
been to that area. So it's definitely somewhere on my list.
But then I've been to California other than LA and
(02:27):
you know many years as well.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Yeah, well you're due, and I would say for those
that have been to Napa and maybe haven't been to Paso.
The way i'd kind of compare Paso is I am
from the Napa area and that's what got me to
fall in love with wine and want to pursue that
this as a as a career. But Napa is still
I mean, it's hard to find a place to go
in and do a wine tasting for one hundred and
fifty dollars, and Passo to us still kind of feels
(02:50):
like the.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Wild West where we're still kind of up and coming.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I've heard a few people say that Paso's still trying
to figure out what we want to be when we
grow up.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
So it really is fun to be somewhere.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
That is super approachable, and if you're not familiar with
wine tasting, it's a great place to start kind of
dipping your toes in the water.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Right.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
It is kind of interesting that Napa has just grown
to this this almost like not godlike, but just like
this otherworldly where people think of all the fantastic wine
comes from there. It's like, yes, there is a lot
of great wine that comes from but the Passo in
the in the Monterey area so much I think better wine.
And maybe it's because, like you said, they don't still
(03:29):
don't have their identity, so they can kind of just
throw things against the wall and be like, Okay, well
this works, Oh this also works, or we could do.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
This down here absolutely where if you're a Nappa producer,
you got to be growing tabernet. They've got there there
in Granted, I love love Napple wines, and they've done
so much for really any American wine growing area, really
put us on the map, but it's turned into adult
Disneyland to where it's it's just it's so expensive to
go have a have a weekend.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, yeah, unless you're in the industry and then somehow
it's a little cheaper. But yeah, that's right. Well, let's
go all the way back in time. What is your
earliest memory of alcohol?
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, actually going back to kind of the Napa area.
So I was actually.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
A junior in high school and I grew up in
a little town called Benetia, thirty minutes south of Napa.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
And one of my first paid jobs ever, I was
seventeen and I worked a harvest at family friends vineyard
up in Healsburg. And obviously seventeen years old, I had
no palate for wine. I just fell I mean spending
a summer just immersed and being in a cellar every
day and seeing what it takes to make a bottle
(04:38):
of wine. I just fell in love with more so
so the people in the culture that comes with the
wine industry, more so than wine itself. But I would
say that's kind of when things started to click for me.
So I knew that's what I wanted to do.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
So I only applied to colleges that offered of wine
and viticulture department. So I ended up going to cal
Pauly and San Luis Obispo and how a bunch of
different internships along the way, and then decided that the
Central Coast felt like home and wanted to stick around here.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
What was it about the I mean, like you said earlier,
it was you know, the community building and then the
camaraderie of you know, sharing bottles and obviously doing your
own harvest is a huge thing. So like, what was
it about coming back to it, Because obviously by the
time you had left and come back, things have changed
a little bit. What was it about the whole culture
that you were just really wanting to immerse yourself back into.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
As far as when I finished my degree, Yes, or gosh,
it's just still that there's very few things that you
can you can study and dedicate your career to where
you're physically making something that people can enjoy. And I
love the hospitality side of the wine industry and that
was some of my really early experiences, just working in
(05:50):
a tasting room. And one thing I love when somebody
comes in the winery. Nobody's ever in a bad mood.
They chose to be there, they're drinking wine, and it's
just a very enjoyable environment. But yeah, I think it's
I think just being surrounded by by happy people that
kind of kind of pulled me back in.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
It's true. Plus, you get so many people that I
imagine who don't, like you said, don't know anything about wine,
and so they come in with this this wide open palette,
you know, no pen intended, and you get to actually
kind of curate their adventure and be like, oh, let's
start here and then you can go here, and then
you know, just see what you do and.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Don't like all the way.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
And I think the most fun part for me is
the people that don't have a lot of experience in
wine and are very intimidated and think there's all these
rules they need to follow, But trying to demystify some
of that is something that I've grown passionate about and
turning wine on to people that maybe never.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Thought to pick up a bottle in the grocery store before. Right.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeah, I was talking to somebody and they said, the
wine and alcohol aisle in general is the most user
unfriendly aisle that there is in the entire store because
most of the time there's nobody there to help you
unless you already know what you're getting yourself into. Then
you can either spend way too much, we're way too little,
or just not find anything that you properly enjoyed.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Yeah, and that's why people kind of find their favorites
and stick with it. But I mean, it's it's such
a shame to to pigeonhole yourself like that because there's
so many great wines out there. So it's a lot
of trial and error, which you know, can make some
expensive errors if you roll the dice and end up
hitting it. But that's what makes it fun. Same thing
with beer and whiskey. Really with anything, it's like got
(07:26):
to branch out and experiment, Right.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
I always said, I always tell people to give yourself
kind of like a cap as to how much you
really want to spend, and then anything under that experiment
do whatever you want, and then anything above that, do
your research, see what other people are saying. Obviously, everyone's
palate is going to be different how they had it,
when they had it, what they had it with is
going to be a complete different situation. But you know,
you could just still play a rent. I mean, it's
your palette, it's your money. You can kind of do
(07:52):
whatever you want.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah, And I guess that's a I've got
a question for you. If that's all right, go for it,
ask away.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
But kind of going off of that, there's so many
amazing brands out there. There's so much going on, especially
within wine. But what kind of caught your eye about
Belt the Buck. I know we connected over Instagram and
we're new, we're up and coming, but I was kind
of curious about that.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
So I've worked for here in Texas. There is right
now too, maybe a three is coming up big distributors.
I worked for the biggest at the time for about
fourteen years. I got out of it for a couple
of years and I got back in with a smaller
company that's you know, family owned, woman owned for twenty years,
(08:34):
and that's when I really got to see the kind
of boutique in smaller vineyards or you know, I had
never heard about a Kerment Lynch and I had been
in the industry for fourteen years, Like, how was that impossible?
And that dude helped bring in what all the great
French wines that are you know we have in America
now and all the other great stuff from Europe And
at that point, I mean now back now I'm not
(08:56):
with the same distributor. I'm with the biggest now in Texas.
But that really kind of caught my eye. I was like,
you know what, there is so much great, smaller Boutiqueish
wines that people just don't know about yet. Like I know,
I started Cupcake here in Texas, and you know, I've
sold Thedaby, I've sold all the big ones. But when
it comes to a new wine and new just vineyards
(09:18):
and like people's new take on what they want to
do with wine, I always find that to be fascinating
because again, like you said, you guys are just starting up.
You guys just bottled y'all's first blend this past weekend.
Right right, Yeah, and so like I want to help
tell that story. And yes, you guys just started now,
but like, what is three years, five years, whatever however
really is going to look like for you guys.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Yeah, well I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
No problem. Well, I mean, let's let's talk about it.
How did Velvet Buck Vineyards even begin?
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Yeah, so that's kind of the first thing. So, yes,
it is Velvet Buck is brand new, and you know,
we it's kind of a blank roadmap right now. We
know where we want to go. But we are under
the umbrella called the Craigstolar Collection. So we do have
a couple other wineries that we are running, Sextant Wines
(10:08):
and Paris Valley Road Estate Winery out of Passo, so
it is under the umbrella. But this, I mean totally
just a brand new concept. But I will tell the
ownership story really quick because this really did all start with.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
My boss, Craig Stoller, So.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
He's got a really interesting story and it really starts
with his dad, Glenn Stoller, who also went to cal
Pauly and San Luis Obispo and he was a horticulture student.
So he graduated in the late nineteen sixties and went
back to his hometown of Bakersfield, kind of unsure what
that horticulture degree was going to end up doing for him,
but he ended up founding in nineteen seventy seven a
(10:48):
nursery called Sunridge Nurseries, and at the time it was
one of the very first providers of plant material for
wine and table grape.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Vineyards in the United States.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
They started really small, kind of you know, expanded production
a little bit every couple of years and up till
this point. Now they're one of the largest providers of
rootstock and plant material for wine, table grape vineyards in
the entire world. So they're responsible for about thirty percent
of all planted vineyards in the United States. So that's
(11:20):
it's kind of what drew me to work for the
company is you know, I love that they've been in
the business so long and on the agriculture side, because
I think that really comes through with a lot of
Craig's wine, where he knows that, you know, winemakers don't
have an easy job, but a lot of hard work
and the very not so glamorous work is done in
(11:41):
the vineyard and that's something that he knows better than anybody.
So a lot of his wines are very hands off
in the winemaking approach, and you're really tasting the grape
for what it is meant to be. So we've been
up and running with Sexton and Paris Valley Road for
really since two thousand and four. Craig and I actually
(12:01):
started with a conversation where he approached me. He's like, hey, Blake,
I've got a trademark for this brand. I don't know
what it's going to turn into, but the trademark I
have is Velvet Buck. I think it could be something
I don't know what, And just the two of us
kind of going back and forth, where we landed is,
you know, the most amazing thing about wine is it's
(12:23):
connection to food.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Like there's nothing.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
That works with food or elevate your food, or really
can act as another ingredient in whatever it is you're
eating like wine. And you know, as Craig and I
are both very passionate about hunting and fishing, there are
very few people that take cooking as seriously as somebody
that just put in the work to go harvest their
own meat. So we were like, what if we were
to marry these two ideas and really lean in with
(12:49):
the wine that totally understands the ethos of a hunter
and an outdoorsman and just take it and run with
it because there's really nobody out there going after this market.
There's a couple you might see camouflage label or you know,
a duck decoy on on the babble, but there's nobody
that's that's uh, you know, fully going after it. And
(13:09):
that's where we thought we could come in and maybe
fill a little a little bit of a white space.
But also, I mean, I never thought I would marry
my two loves of wine and the outdoors with the
wine product. So that has been just very exciting for me.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
And and I don't know if you'd seen this on
social media, but we we just announced a partnership with
meat Eater. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
I was gonna ask, Yeah, which is you know, one
of the top voices in kind of that outdoor space.
And what I've always loved about me Eater is it's
equal parts of the hunting show as it is a
cooking show. And that's where we thought there could be
a really fun, fun tie in. So we're we're kicking
off with them with the premier sponsor for the American
West Podcast with Dan Flores, and I highly recommend everybody
(13:53):
goes and listens to it, and it just paints this
unbelievable picture of kind of the untold history of the
American West. But that's that's kind of who we are
and where the idea came from.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
That's beautiful. Yeah, I do think that we are definitely
in an interesting time where, you know, there are still
some people that think, you know, hunting is brutality and
all this stuff other stuff, and it's like, well, no,
people just want to know exactly where their their meat
is coming from. And so it's not like they're just
killing it to kill it. They're killing it to eat
it and use every bit of part of it. And
(14:25):
there is so much that goes into you know, yeah,
you kill it and then you get all the meat.
That's a lot of meat for people who don't think
about it, like that's a lot of meat. And so
a lot of times people will give it away or
store it and freezers and you know, eat on it
for you know, months, if not years. And so I
love that you guys are actually marrying the two of
(14:47):
when it does come to wine and when it comes
to actual you know, wild meat awesome.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Yeah, it's gonna be fun.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
We did a little test r on Friday was bottling
day and so we be paired for run a velvet
buck with some some nice fresh venison burgers and it worked.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
It's going to be a great bearing.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Well, how did you guys, So you guys have a
red blend or you're starting with a red blend.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Starting with the red blend, we want to make one
wine and make, you know, put our best foot forward,
kind of see what happens and honestly just see how
people receive the idea. But I would love, you know,
eventually to do a.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Some sort of white blend, something fun and a little
bit edgy. But I think we see.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
Some some line extensions coming hopefully if if the concept
takes well.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
So what are the percentages? What all goes into the red?
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:36):
So percentages Off the top of my head, I'm not
going to give you a super accurate but pretty close,
pretty close to equal parts. But the backbone of the
blend is Sarah. Then we got a little petitsa in there,
some cab, some are low and just a little bit
of zen to kind of give it a little bit
of juice and kind of take the fruit up up
a notch and then for the oak program is spent.
(15:58):
It was about twenty percent new friendship for eighteen months,
so definitely some some pretty extended, okaging, very nice, and
we tasted, you know, fifty different variations of what ended
up going into the bottle. But at the end of
the day, we wanted something that stands up on its own,
but also is going to be pretty versatile with any
(16:19):
food you throw at it. We didn't want it to
be too overpowering, so we didn't use a whole lot
of cab right, because we didn't want it to be
one of those wines where it's it's red meat or
nothing else. We wanted to be, you know, paired with
you know, duck venison, even salmon. I would pair this
wine with salmon in any day of the week.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
I was going to ask, because I know you guys
started you were wanting to do with white as well,
and obviously we all know white goes better with seafood,
so this actually does pair well with the salmon.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
And I think again, like with what I was saying earlier,
with people being intimidated and rule following, Yeah, I just
think with food and wine pairing, it's so objective, like
you just got to experiment with with what you like.
But for me, especially if it's coming off the barbecue,
like cedar playing grilled salmon with a pino or or
(17:06):
a GSM or a lighter red blend, I think is
definitely an underrated pairing. But there's there's no wrong answers
until you find something that just doesn't work.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, that's true. So how did when I mean, when
you guys are starting a business. Obviously guys, you guys
had the name and you guys built from there. How
did you guys come up with the bottle? The label?
Obviously you know you guys are screw cap right, No.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
It's actually gonna be it's actually gonna be pork. I've
got the bottle right here there.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Oh yeah that's good.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
We thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Yeah, that's going to just jump off those shelves.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
I hope. So.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
And the one thing that I love and you can't
tell just looking at it, but when you go to
pick it up and you're in a grocery store or
you know, bartenders pouring it, the label is actually built up.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Oh, it's got a really really cool texture to it.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
That's ad.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Yeah, we it was a lot of trial and error.
But Craig, my boss, I don't know exactly how long it.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Took him to kind of come up with this design,
but he had it pretty early on. So we had
the label and the name, and then from there we
just I mean the most important thing is, like you know,
we love wine, we.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Love to hunt, we love to fish.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
So we just put ourselves and basically made a product
that we were marketing to ourselves. So it was pretty
easy in that front. But yeah, and then another just
quick shout out to another awesome partner we have on
the line. But there is a really amazing organization called
Backcountry Hunters and Anglers And what they do is they
(18:38):
are the boots on the ground, voice and the ones
doing the heavy lifting to keep public lands wild, open
and accessible. So they do a lot of cleanup work
but really a lot of cleanup work and fundraising, but
they also do a lot of work in Washington, DC
and just fighting for pro public land access as far
(19:01):
as new laws and bills coming out.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
So a healthy portion of every case sold.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Is going to go directly to back country Hunters and
Anglers and kind of keep them equipped to keep fighting
the good fight.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I love it.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
And even if you even if you don't hunt and fish,
public lands are just so important to just keep for
for the generations to come.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah, when I got out of the wine industry for
two years, I was in residential construction and I was
just I'd be in these places or yeah, we're building homes.
But then like we're right next to these beautiful fields
or woods and I'm looking, I'm like, these are all
gonna be taken up at some point. It's gonna be
stupid Starbucks or Target or whatever it is. And I'm
just like, what are we doing? Like they don't have
enough stuff or we don't have no concrete and land,
(19:41):
Like why do we need to keep you know, building
in more and more?
Speaker 3 (19:44):
It's just absolutely nuts, Absolutely no, they're they're doing great
work and it's yeah, very important.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
That's awesome. So, I mean, obviously, distribution is a huge
thing when it comes to any product. How is the
distribution working for you all right now? Because like you
just said, you guys just bottled your first You know,
how many bottles do you guys end up bottling?
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Do you remember? So we we did about twenty two
hundred cases, that's awesome.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Yeah, so we're just going for it. Yeah, but we're so.
It will be available for direct consumer purchases. It will
be available on our website probably in the next couple
of months, probably sooner, probably within the next month, will
be live, but that will be the next journey is
I've got a few conversations started on on on where
this really is going to be distributed and.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
How that's going to happen.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
There's a chance that it could just be a regional
costco product and see where that goes. But that part
of the story is still still up in the air.
And as as you know, being in the business, it's
it's it's tough out there, yeah, especially in line. But
but we're confident that we have something that is unique
enough and and is so focused on on who it
(20:55):
is we're going after that we will find a home
for it. So I think the states right off the
bat that we see distribution a pretty clear path to
distribution as Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Texas, and Alaska.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Weirdly enough makes sense.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
I mean, I imagine those are the biggest and probably Canada
as well, if you guys, you want to do it
that way too. But yeah, when it comes to hunting,
like those are kind of what a lot of people
think the best place is.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
Totally no, And I think our our dream if we
could wave our magic wand from the winery to be
just you know, exclusive with Costco and really focusing on
those stage I just mentioned, and you know, primarily in
Texas because it's such a just a powerhouse market.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Yes, no, without a doubt, I mean north and South,
Like the whole state is just insane. And it's so
funny when I look at certain you know, statistics or whatever,
when they're like, oh, the whole country and then they
zoom in just on Texas and like that one takes
up most of everything. That all the numbers that they're
looking at.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Yeah, that's exactly.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
Yeah, except I was just up in Alaska, and they
sure like to throw out that, uh, Texas is the
second biggest state in the Union.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
I Land, not by Popularia or anything else. Well, I'll
give them that. They got a lonch of just like
random stuff that they could just you know, you're not
driving across all of Alaska. We'll tell you that. I
don't know the islands there's yeah, don't count.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
They could have it, But in the continental where everybody
actually lives and goes that you're.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
The biggest, so we'll let them have it.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Yeah, they have to have something. They're all by themselves.
They're basically Canada. A lot of people think that, you know,
they could still just run over to Russia and they'll.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Be Okay, it's so funny.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yeah, well, so I'm not a big hunter. What kind
of hunter? What kind of hunting do you like to do?
Speaker 3 (22:51):
So?
Speaker 4 (22:51):
I grew up primarily and where I lived in the
East Bay area of California, there's really the only thing
we had we had access to was waterfall hunting. So
I grew up hunting a lot of public land. There's
a great place to hunt called Grizzly Island, but mostly duck,
a little bit of pheasant. I've actually never shot a
(23:12):
deer myself. I've been on a couple of deer hunts,
but I'm one of those guys where I I just
like being out there. I like being with my friends,
being in the outdoors, and you know, if you do
have the opportunity to harvest something, that's just a positive.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Yeah, the disconnection and like just just being out there
and just you know what people used to do hundreds
of years ago. It's just it's it's crazy. And I
think a lot more people, whether they're hunting or not,
just get into nature. Just go for a while, Like
just get out there and you know, be okay and
be centered with what you know, where you are and
what you're part of.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Absolutely, just just get outdoors. Yeah, it's it.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Well, so what has the reception been like for the wine?
Speaker 3 (23:53):
We'll find out. I don't think. I don't think anybody
has tasted it other than those of us here at
the winery.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
And we kind of on purpose, wanted to start getting
the name out there, getting our branding out there before
the wine was even ready. There's a world especially right now,
just to just build a little bit of hype before
there was even a product that you could.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Go go and purchase.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
So Bottled Friday and back Country Hunters and Anglers has
their annual Rendezvous three day event up in Missoula, Montana,
Thursday through Sunday, and that is going to be kind
of the.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Grand unveiling of the brand. So that's this coming week.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
So they're doing a field to table dinner for I
think about one hundred people and it's their biggest fundraiser
of the year. So Velvet Buck will be on every
table and I think it's three or four courses and
every course was kind of designed to pair with the wine.
So that's going to be a big day for the brand.
I mean, I'm not to I'm a little nervous. I mean,
(24:54):
it's kind of I feel like it's my baby at
this point. But I'm really confident of the juice. But
it's going to be all and to be there with
one hundred folk and and just see how the wine
really goes over and it will all be worth it
if the consensus is that people are happy, right, well.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Obviously yes, Well so I had to look this up.
What is velvet buck for people don't know what the
name actually means.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Yeah, so that's a great question.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
So there's a certain type of year usually, I mean
really from now to you know, maybe early fall, a
bucks antlers will actually what's called going into velvet. Yeah,
so they will be covered with with with velvet, and
you know, it's it's just a term that's thrown out
in hunting to describe a buck in velvet, and it's
(25:41):
kind of like the holy Grail for hunters if they
do shoot a buck in velvet, because it is rare
when for hunting season to be open to overlap with
the time a buck is in velvet is is not
very common.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Interesting. Yeah, I had to look that one up. I
had no idea, and I was like, that is yeah,
I definitely want to make sure everybody else knows about that.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Well, so.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
What does the next I mean, you guys are just starting,
but what do you think the next three to five
years looks like for you guys?
Speaker 3 (26:12):
That's a great that's a great question.
Speaker 4 (26:16):
The way I see it, I think in the next
three to five years, if we've got healthy distribution, if
we are you know, the one wine that might turn
some people that maybe never reach for wine before in
the grocery store. But if this is what starts to
get you know, certain people to turn and realize how
awesome wine really is with food and fits their lifestyle
(26:38):
so well, I just think right now there's so many
people going away from wine. It's just even in a
small way. If this is something that might bring people back,
that is what I see for it. I really don't
have you know, I'd like to say that we've become
a two hundred thousand case brand and be in every
Osco in the country, but probably not you know who knows.
(27:00):
But I think if we're you know, a household name,
we're easily accessible and you know we've got good, clean
merch and people are out repping our brand, that's that
would that's enough for me.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Yeah, that's true because people people will tell you how
they feel with their.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Wallet and it's it's huge totally. I think the thinking
about it a little bit. I think in five years,
if there's enough demand for Velvet Buck that we need
a Velvet Buck tasting room in Missoula, Montana, then I
I will be able to rest. I've done my job.
There you go, that's the dream.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Well, I mean so you kind of touched on it.
We are in a as we're recording this, we're in
a weird area where wine cells are down, beer sales
are down. The only thing really kind of profitable for
the most part is Selser's tequilas and bourbon and whiskey's
that whole realm.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, what do you think.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
It is about? I mean they keep saying the new
the next generation Z I think is the newest drinking
age that they're not drinking as much or whatever it is.
But how is it that we have had I guess
what they say, the millennials and then the gen X
and the boomers. How are they carrying the whole wine
industry for that long? It can't be that? Like, what
(28:15):
is it that? Do you think that the wine industry
needs to maybe do or turn something on its head
or change or whatever?
Speaker 4 (28:24):
It is My personal and I don't know if this
is right or not, but my you know, marinating on
this for a while, my personal feelings are that the
wine industry has you know, it's the oldest fermented beverage.
It's kind of been the same for a long time.
And I think that the wine industry as a whole
is maybe you know, ten to fifteen years behind any
(28:44):
other industry. Yeah, because they really they really haven't had
any reason to change. But I think tequila, RTBS, Cancock
to bills, all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
I think they're they're so new and they're so nimble.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
They're really good at showing up where millennials and gen
z are to where traditional wine marketing. You make an
amazing wine, you get good packaging, you submit it to
Robert Parker or wine spectator, you get a good score
and it sells. Yeah, And I just don't think that
that is how it's going to be anymore. I don't
think that the average millennial or gen Z. I heard
(29:19):
a new term the other day. This is allennial of
just lumping them both together.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
So that would be the bridge between millennials and gen
Z kind of like, I mean, I'll be forty two
in August, so I'm the bridge between gen X and
the millennials. So it's like, yeah, so I got good enough.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
That's just uh.
Speaker 4 (29:41):
So, I think that the wine industry just has to
do a better job. I think follow follow urtds, but
just show up where the people are. I mean it,
it's one of the oldest alcoholic beverages that humans have
been drinking.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
I don't think it's going anywhere.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
It's just we we have to we have to get
creative and and kind of change the tide.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
And I think that's what you guys are doing here,
because you guys are, like you said, you're narrowing your
radar to this one culture that is absolutely massive, and
it actually goes back to the beginning of time as well,
because how else were people going to eat or get
fed or feed a village if not going out there
and getting it themselves. So now you actually have something
(30:22):
that celebrates that. So it does seem like you guys
are doing what the wine industry is not doing and
actually focusing and narrowing your gaze as opposed to wanting.
I mean, yes, you want everybody to drink it, but
you guys want to really help this part of the
world that you know is still getting a lot of traction,
but you know, maybe not getting as much attention as
(30:43):
you know everybody else should be giving it to.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
For sure, No, I appreciate it, and yeah, proof will
be in the pudding. We think we have a good
recipe and if nothing else, just an awesome ride. If
we can raise a few bucks for public Land and
in the meantime, that's just an amazing bonus.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
But we will see.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Yeah, I don't I don't think we've had too many
people really put the spotlight as much on public Land
since maybe Teddy Roosevelt. This is insane.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
Yeah, there we go. Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Well go ahead.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
Yeah, I wish I would have sent you a bottle
before we sat down for this podcast, but definitely can't
wait to see what you think.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
About it.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
Yes, I would love to try any and all. So yes,
please send it, Please send it my way. I love that.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Awesome. Well, we'll definitely do that.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Awesome. Well, I have a segment. Shall I call it
the five countich just five random questions?
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Okay? Do it?
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Who was your first celebrity crush?
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Jessica Simpson?
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Nice? Yeah, I get that. If you were a progress
or MMA fighter, what would your name be?
Speaker 3 (31:47):
That's a great question. I think i'd go John Clegg.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Good luck people pronouncing that last thing. It's not gonna
work out well for you as uh well, I mean,
speaking of which, what would your last meal be?
Speaker 4 (32:05):
Oh, that's a great question. There's a barbecue place out
in my Why am I blanking?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (32:15):
Where's the University of tuscaloosaclose to Alabama. It's called Dreamland Barbecue,
and i' I mean barbecue is another passion of mine.
I love the barbecue home, but I still have yet
to have anything to come close than Dreamland Barbecue ribs.
So it'd be that my grandma's potato salad. Honestly, I'd
(32:36):
go simple kind of backyard cookout vibe for my last meal,
little little coal slaw. And then finish it up with
a skillet chocolate chip cookie with some vanilla ice cream.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Oh yeah, and then obviously velvet buck.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
I'm thinking about that answer, what's that?
Speaker 2 (32:49):
And then obviously some velvet buck.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
WHI you're out there, absolutely and it pairs with every
part of that that meal.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Yeah. Who are what inspires you?
Speaker 4 (32:58):
That's a great question. So my dad's one of my
biggest inspirations. And then my previous boss, Chris Blake, he
was our director of sales for a good number of years.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
But both of those guys are my two biggest role models.
Speaker 4 (33:12):
And just have kind of given me the I think,
the groundwork to be a successful professional. And then also,
you know, a good dad, good good husband, just good
good human being.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
So I love love both those guys.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
That's awesome. And what would you tell your seventeen year
old self?
Speaker 4 (33:27):
I would say, at some point during college or right
after college, go work a harvest in New Zealand or
Australia or somewhere. That's probably my my biggest regret is
not doing a harvest abroad.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
There's still time.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
There is still time.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yeah, I mean you're in the industry. It's not like
you don't have connections that you could easily just go
do that.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
Yeah, one day, just might have to do it.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Yeah, there you go, Mark, got stuff from your bucket list.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Well I got to hear your answers too.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Ok Okay, first celebrity crush was either Jessica Rabbit or
Janet Jackson. I can't remember.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Jessica rabbits a sleeper, right, that's a that's a great answer.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
It's still so fantastic pro wrestling name. I when I
was growing up, I wanted to so Marilyn Manson. All
the people in the in the band had a combination
of like a pin up and a serial killer, which
you know, it's good for them, it's interesting. But I
was like, okay, I like that concept of like mixing
names and so at the time I was I can't
(34:25):
say I was a kiss fan, but I liked the
whole makeup and the everything they were doing. And so
I liked Ace Frehley a lot and so and then
I also like Kirk Hammett from Metallica. So I was
like Ace Hammett perfect nailed it. But now as I've
grown up, I would much rather be a manager because
that's a way longer career. Uh, so coach John, I
think seems to work out pretty well.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
There we go. I like it all right.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Last Meal. See I started asking this question before I
knew that there was a YouTube show called Last Meal.
And since I've seen that show, they do courses and
I'm like, oh, that's perfect because I can eat way
more than Yeah. So I think Jack and Fried's seak
has got to be in there. Pizza, I like sloppy
(35:08):
Joe's over rice.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I'm a weird guy like that.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Yeah, I've never liked it with the bun. Also, it's
it's already messy. What are we doing? Like, it's put
it over stuff you already eating.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
That's a pro move. I can get behind that.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Thank you?
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Who were?
Speaker 2 (35:22):
I think people in life in general just inspire me. Like,
if you're paying attention, there is so much stuff out
there that will just inspire you in like a quick
second or something just somebody says off handedly and you're like, oh, wow,
that's actually really nice and then get your brain going.
So I think just people in life in general really
kind of inspire me. Then what would I tell my
(35:43):
seventeen year old self, Well, be better with your money
and you don't have to chase all the girls. Just
make sure it's not quantity.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
It's a quality.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
Chase the right one, yes, chase the right one. So yeah,
I think those thank you, nobody's actually ask this is nice. Well,
if peopleant to find out more about y'all, follow you
online obviously, you know, buy the wine whenever they can.
How can they do all the things.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Yeah, so I think the best way right now to
kind of keep up with what we're doing is follow
our Instagram Velvet Buck Wine just real time updates.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
We try to keep it as up to date as possible.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
And then our website is www dot Velvet Buck Vineyards
dot com and actually just went live today, so John,
you have to check it out, let me know what
you think. And then yeah, right now, there's really no
way you can buy the wine, so it's sitting tight,
keeping keeping in touch with what we're what we're doing.
As soon as that is live to buy from our website,
that will probably be the the easiest way to get
(36:43):
it as soon as.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
It becomes available. And again I think that's three to
four weeks out.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
Perfect, that'd be that'd be amazing, just in time for
you know, fall time and end of summer that people love.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
That dear season.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Yeah, well, Blake, thank you so much for your time.
I cannot wait to get a model myself, and I
really can't wait to see again where you guys end
up being in the next three to five years and
then hopefully here in Texas all be distributing some of
your wife.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Well, thank you so much, John, I really appreciate the time,
and yeah for for giving.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
Us a chance to share the message anytime. Love what
you're doing. Keep up with awesome Mark, thank you absolutely.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Thank you so much to Blake for being on the
show again. Make sure to go check out Velvet Buck
Vineyards and definitely make sure to go find it in
your local stores sooner rather than later. So you were
going to follow them on social media to make sure
you find out where and when you can get it. Now,
while you're doing following them, go ahead and follow us
on social media. It is going to be bruisers Pod.
That is b R E W S E R S
p O D on the Instagram, the threads, and the Twitter.
(37:50):
If you want to send us an email, it is
Bruiserspod at gmail dot com. If you want to follow
me directly, it is Rody John. That is our O
d I E j o N. Rody John is the
name on the Twitter tapped in case you want to
find out when I'm drinking, maybe we can have a
beer together. If you're gonna follow me on the threads
or the Instagram. It is official Order of John. So
until next time, make sure to enjoy life, drink local
and cheers
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