Nikki Kliest
Life and Arts Assistant Editor
Notorious for its lavish parties, decadent lifestyles and over-the-top accommodations, Malibu is often considered the epicenter of all that is excess. What many students may not know, is that the city is also rapidly expanding as a self-sufficient and abundant wine source.
Over the past 20 years, vineyards in Malibu have been planted in an effort to take advantage of the rich soil and advantageous terrain.
In 1987, George Rosenthal planted vineyards at his 250-acre estate in the Malibu Newton Canyon. He did so after spending two years checking soil and weather to make sure he planted the correct varietals in the correct locations.
Ten years later, the Malibu Family Wines’ vineyards came into being at the crest of the Santa Monica Mountains. They started planting that year with 14 acres of Cabernet and Merlot. Their hillside vineyards consist of approximately 60,000 vines on 65 acres.
Just like with any other business success, it is not always about the product, but rather the demand. And, many agree that Malibu is on its way to becoming a well-known and respected wine source.
“The Malibu wines have been great for business,” said Victor Grenner, the manager of PC Greens. “It’s terrific to have locally produced wine, and the owners are all local and well connected to the product and customer. They produce great wines, and the fact that they are here and visible to the consumers is a real plus.”
PC Greens is a local organic grocer located on Pacific Coast Highway. Another supplier of Malibu wines is Malibu Village Wines, which is located on Cross Creek Road in the Malibu Country Mart.
“We certainly sell a lot of the Malibu brands, including Malibu Vineyards, Hoyt, Republic of Malibu and Rosenthal,” said Brent Erickson, a manager of Malibu Village Wines. “There’s good soil because so many mountains have this undercurrent soil that works well, and the differentiation between the grounds makes it easily accessible for vines.“
In terms of Malibu’s vineyard and wine expansion, Erickson said he felt it was on the incline.
“[Malibu’s wine culture] is getting better as years go on, and the city is a new region for wine growing — it’s one that can really produce quality wines,” Erickson said.
Senior Naomi Byrd is from Monterey County — an area close to the famous Napa Valley Wine Country. She has served at several restaurants, which has helped expand her knowledge of wines.
“I know young adults, especially in Pepperdine. might be exposed to more culture than other colleges,” Byrd said. “But, as far as being educated, I don’t think a lot of people take the time to learn the differences between wines. Once you educate yourself about them, you’ll get more insight about experiences Malibu has to offer — I don’t think a lot of students know about that.”
Byrd also commented on the newly opened Barrel Malibu and its contribution to Malibu’s wine expansion.
“I think it’s great that restaurants like Barrel Malibu are able to give a general understanding of wine,” Byrd said. “And, featuring Malibu wines on top of that just adds to the experience.”
Barrel Malibu — located on Pacific Coast Highway, between Subway and Bank of America in the Malibu Colony Plaza — is a wine bar that opened approximately one year ago. Although not all the wines offered in the venue are from Malibu, Malibu Village Wines helped to assemble its lineup of wines, which the Barrel Malibu Web site says “reflects the eclectic nature of Malibu.”
Owner Alex Rylance indicates Malibu is indeed growing into a significant resource for wine.
“There’s a lot more vineyards in Malibu, especially north of here in the Santa Monica mountains,” Rylance said. “The soil has been dormant for a long time, because the city had put a hold on building vineyards because of landslides. But, now they’ve opened a lot more up, and a lot more people are making wine and experimenting with wines.”
It is important to embrace that Malibu’s wine culture as part of a history still in the making.
09-25-2008
