June 30, 2006

From Evergreen fences to fine wine

Frank Leal hopes to establish a new California wine hotspot with Leal Vineyards

By Laura Rheinheimer
Times intern

When former Evergreen resident Frank Leal cracked into the wine industry, he decided to bypass Napa Valley and head straight for the hills of Hollister. There, he found the perfect climate for a vineyard at a fraction of the cost.

Leal Vineyards owner Frank Leal stands in the winery he helped to build. Photo courtesy of Leal Vineyards

Today, Leal Vineyards has gained international recognition as one of the best up-and-coming vineyards in the world. The first generation vintner is making a name for himself with his award-winning wines and willingness to try new techniques.

Before Leal bought the land in 1998, he researched extensively to find the perfect location for forging the next big wine-growing region. San Benito County, where Hollister lies, is in a wine region II, similar to France’s Bordeaux region. Factors like the high number of growing days, favorable climate and proximity to the Bay Area and Monterey Peninsula led Leal and his former winemaker, Dave Griffith, to Hollister, where they built the winery from the bottom up.

“I said, ‘Wow, this is the closest thing I’m going to find to Napa at 10 percent of the price,’” Leal said.

Leal said he hopes the vineyards will get the recognition needed to turn San Benito County into the next prime wine-growing region. Wineries, especially in Napa, are traditionally run by families who have been at it for years, but are also resistant to change. When Leal started in Hollister, he said he was “the new kid in town” but felt fortunate to enter an industry where practices are known and open to newcomers.

Goodbye fencing, hello wine
Entering unknown territory is nothing new to Leal, who ran a San Jose-based fencing company for more than a decade before making the move to wine. Leal ran the fencing company from 1989 until 2001, when the winery released its first vintage, among which was a Syrah recognized by Food & Wine magazine. Leal decided to drop out of construction and run the 45-acre vineyard and winery full-time.

When Leal and Griffith decided on the spot in the foothills of Hollister eight years ago, they spent many hours installing trellises for the vineyard, dedicating many weekends to the project. Drawing from his experience constructing fences, Leal took a hands-on approach to building the vineyard and 10,000-square-foot winery.

After all of his hard work, Leal’s wines are now offered in his hometown, in restaurants he used to frequent, like A.P. Stumps in Downtown San Jose and Le Papillon on Saratoga Avenue.

“Now I go in and see my wines on the list—it’s pretty gratifying,” Leal said.

Local roots help raise budding entrepreneur
Born to Portuguese immigrants, Leal moved to the Evergreen area after graduating from nearby Independence High School. He said he watched many entrepreneurs have success in starting businesses, especially during the Silicon Valley Dot Com boom.

“San Jose is one of those great cities where opportunities are endless,” Leal said. After running a fencing business, he gained the confidence needed for a rookie to dive into the wine business.

His passion for wine may have shown signs in his childhood, but he was hooked when he was able to see the goings-on of Reynolds Family Winery in Napa. Leal and Griffith spent weekends in the Reynolds winery, learning as much as they could about wine.

“Frank is a super hard worker,” said Steve Reynolds of the Napa winery, who hosted Leal and Griffith for a season and also traveled to the Hollister years later, bringing added experience to Leal Vineyards.

“I think they’re the best wine in that region,” Reynolds added. “And competitive in any market.”

For his competitive edge, Leal credits another local, David Mirassou of La Rochelle Winery in Livermore, for showing him the marketing side of the wine business.

Mirassou’s words stuck with him so much that the doors of the winery are made from old wooden tanks from the Napa winery. Leal said Mirassou, a sixth generation vintner, gave him priceless advice about the importance of presenting the wine, winery and vineyards in a pleasing way.

“I want that final product with my name on the label,” Leal said. “All I ask for is one taste.”

Leal is confident of his wine, including the upcoming Cabernet Sauvignon named “Godsend.”

“It’s an emotional purchase,” Leal said.

If people enjoy the experience at a winery, they’ll want to buy the wine, Leal explained, but ultimately the product must be the selling point.

“I’m a small grower,” Leal said, adding that he wants to stay a small grower.

A self-proclaimed “control freak,” he currently oversees all steps of the winemaking; growing, fermenting, bottling and marketing the wine.

It’s good to try new things
As for innovation, Leal is willing to try something new.

Leal said his vineyard is one of two U.S. vineyards to use glass closures as an alternative to corks and screw caps. Glass closures are said to ward off bacteria related to corks without detracting from the overall “uncorking” experience. He also experiments with different clones and root stocks on his and others’ properties. Without risking the entire vintage, Leal said he uses a portion of the crop to fine-tune the grapes. Other adjustments, such as using oaks from countries like Russia, China and Hungary for barrels, indicate Leal’s quest for the perfect wine. He even risks producing unfiltered wines.

Leal wines are bottled on-site with a sleek, black and gold label. The new releases and library wines range from $24 to $32 per bottle and include some national and international award-winning wines like the 2002 and 2003 Estate Merlots, Syrahs and Cabernet Sauvignons.

The future release “Godsend,” a limited Cabernet Sauvignon, is a wine the vineyard boasts as the “crème de la crème” of the vintage.

In addition to the vineyards and winery, Leal offers a restaurant and venue for weddings and other occasions. There is also a wine club, where members might have a better chance at obtaining one of many sold out wines.