The 1960s brought the Wine Revolution to California. However, most people were not familiar with California wine or the new winemakers in Northern California. In Southern California, three young men began traveling to the wineries and meeting the winemakers. They were convinced that the public would come to love Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon and many other wines that were introduced in the 1960s and 1970s. Each man decided to try selling wine directly to customers by establishing a “wine shop” specializing in wines imported from Europe and made in California. They sold spirits as well, creating a new business model. All three of these new business models focused on educating the public about wine in a variety of ways.
Three Important Wine Shops in Southern California – 1960s
Red Carpet Wine & Spirits was established in 1964 on Brand Boulevard in Glendale by John Vincenti as a liquor store that specialized in fine wine. Vincenti ran Red Carpet until he sold it to David Dobbs in 1987. It has new owners today and is now located in Rancho Cucamonga.
Steve Wallace opened a liquor store in his own Los Angeles neighborhood in 1968. It was known as Wally’s Wines and Spirits. He sold a few wines, but spirits were the main source of income. He had developed an interest in California wines as manager of the Daisy Club where he selected wines for the clientele. Steve started visiting winemakers throughout California and taking classes at UCLA from wine critic Robert Balzer to learn more. Steve moved his liquor store several times before settling on a location on Westwood Boulevard in
Westwood. Wally’s eventually became known as “the wine shop to the stars.” He sold the business in 2013 to his partner, Christian Navarro, and the Marciano brothers, who founded the Guess fashion line. Wally’s is now a restaurant and wine bar as well as wine shop and is located in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.
In 1969, David and Judy Breitstein established their wine shop, The Duke of Bourbon, in Canoga Park. David’s father had established the first Duke of Bourbon in Los Angeles, but David saw the potential in the wine culture developing in California. He founded his own shop to pursue his dreams. David and Judy found the location in Canoga Park and moved to the San Fernando Valley. David and Judy wanted to know the winemakers personally. They often drove to Napa and knocked on doors to introduce themselves to winemakers and sample the new wines. The most important thing they did was to start collecting the wines that have shaped California wine history at the same time they were buying inventory for The Duke of Bourbon.
David and Judy have contributed greatly to California wine history by becoming legendary wine collectors. The David and Judy Breitstein Wine Collection is now located in several important places where the public has access to it. The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County is proud to have contributed to the design and publication of the David and Judy Breitstein Wine Collection Catalog.
The Wine Shop – A New Business Model
The challenge for each of these three wine shops was to introduce the new wine culture and the wide variety of California wines to the public. Each wine shop developed different strategies and succeeded in developing a loyal following.
David and Judy were totally devoted to developing a large clientele. David and Judy created a Wine Association for their customers to join as members. They wrote educational newsletters and hosted wine tastings, seminars, and guest speakers to engage and educate their members. As the Wine Association grew, David and Judy organized field trips to California vineyards and winemakers and eventually to Europe. They invited the members to the Central Coast Wine Classic, Charity Auctions, and special events at Hearst Castle.
A New Idea – The Private Label
Phil Woodward, the President of Chalone Vineyards in Monterey County, had a unique idea which he presented to David and Judy Breitstein. Phil suggested that Chalone create a special label for certain award-winning wines, such as Chalone Chardonnay. David and Judy could sell this wine to their premium customers under their own label; this wine would be attractive to customers because it would not be sold anywhere else.
The reason the wine would be so attractive to consumers was the amazing Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. Chalone Vineyards participated in the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, a blind tasting organized by Steven Spurrier in France. The 1974 Chalone Chardonnay ranked in third place among ten white French and California wines. The wines that placed first and second were California’s Chateau Montelena and a French Meursault – Charmes. California wines received worldwide recognition. The press began traveling to California, highlighting California wine culture.
David and Judy asked Phil what the name on the label would be. Phil had not chosen a name, and so after a lengthy discussion, Judy asked the name of the plants and shrubbery in the area. Phil answered with the name of Chaparral. The name comes from the Spanish word “chaparro,” which translates to “place of scrub oak.” It is the most extensive vegetation type in California. It covers 13.2 million acres, which is equivalent to one-twentieth of the state. A chaparral biome is a terrestrial ecosystem characterized by a shrubland plant community adapted to a Mediterranean climate. The defining characteristic is the presence of chamise (sometimes referred to as greasewood, a flowering plant with white flowers growing in bunches on its branches. It can grow to a height of 12 feet. Judy suggested that Chaparral be the label. David Breitstein chose Jim Cross to design the Chaparral label, which would also contain the words Chardonnay and the name of David’s wine shop, The Duke of Bourbon.
Phil emphasized that a certain minimum number of cases of wine would have to be ordered in advance for the concept of a private label wine to succeed. David called Steve Wallace and John Vincente and asked them to participate in purchasing wine with their own private label. They agreed. The private label was profitable for all of the wine shops. The 1976 Chaparral Chardonnay was released by The Duke of Bourbon in August 1978. The Breitstein Wine Collection contains a Magnum of Chaparral 1977 Pinot Noir, Duke of Bourbon.
To celebrate The Duke of Bourbon’s 20th Anniversary in 1989, David asked Mike Martini to create a private label for the anniversary. Mike Martini at Louis M. Martini Winery made the private label as follows: 1985 Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Duke of Bourbon 20th Anniversary Cuvee Conceived and Created by Michael Martini. There were 250 bottles ordered for the celebration in Calabasas. Wine writer and wine critic Robert Balzer was the moderator at the 20th Anniversary Celebration. The event was widely covered by the press.
