The reality is they came here from another country, made enough money to start a winery as a passion project, putting out world-class wines. For whatever reasons, they decided not to go forward with the insane work level of building a winery on the property and so forth as their retirement jobs. So, why pay the insane cost of living in the booming economy of a region of a foreign country if they aren’t generating income related to that economy? Choosing to retire to a beautiful part of the world with a great food and wine culture, at a small fraction of the cost of living as here makes perfect sense. The political spin of such a thing is nothing but utter bullshit. People come here in record numbers. They make insane amounts of money. They then (often) move out when they’re done, or have earned the ability to telecommute, or they expand businesses outward/elsewhere, etc. The free market isn’t avoiding California, it’s embracing it.
[mod] I’m just removing this entire post.
Kim, you’re on thin ice with the political post. Stop it now
Yep, the first Halcon release was 2009. They then moved to the Roar facility in SF in 2012, following Copain Custom Crush winemaker Scott Shapley, when he was hired there. Roar then moved to a facility in Monterrey County in 2018 and Halcon moved north, with the plan of later making wine at their own facility to be built on their property. So, 12 vintages.
There have been quite a few winemakers who’ve sourced the fruit, so there’s a lot to extrapolate from.
Finding the right buyer with the right vision, understanding, budget is the issue. Plenty of people come in, buy a business, but don’t understand how to run it (but think they do), and screw everything up. So, a big money buyer plus the perfect winemaker can go disastrously wrong if the new owner doesn’t want to spend what it takes for the right equipment and labor.
I’m in for 50 bucks.
Let me check my pockets. Stay tuned.
Back online after a great, and very much offline, weekend in Seattle. Amazing weather.
Thanks to all for the kind words. A really bitter sweet moment for us. I have often heard that there is a pull to home later in life and it really hit me when my family was in the US two years ago. Both my and Jackie’s parents are in the late 80s. We really want to be a short plane hop away from the UK and to have time to spend with them. Not rushing to live in the UK weather full-time though 
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Paul
Well Paul, here’s someone else wishing you all the best. We were looking at some property in Spain too just before COVID hit. Not sure what we’ll do but it’s still an affordable place with some great wine.
But the wines are spectacular - I’ve told people it’s the best Syrah in the state at the moment, and there’s some really good Syrah being made. Hoping to see you again sometime before you leave. And I’m glad I have a few bottles, although now I definitely need more.
Yes, it will. Count me in. I’ve known for a little while, so I asked about library wines, and… there really aren’t any. So it’s going to be a mad rush.
Paul - your reasons are sound, and your destination idyllic. Let me add to the plaudits - your wines are simply beautiful and so full of character. Some of the very few New World wines I chase.
Will be very sad to see the end of your tenure, but thank you for making such memorable wines and wish you all the best for your next adventure.
Cheers,
Max
lololol
I shouldn’t speak for Paul, but if he’s in Spain, he’ll be drinking a lot of white wine–not a Rioja/Tempranillo guy! But… when I found out a while back (Paul has been mentoring me for my next career growing grapes), I made Paul agree that I can throw a going away in a place a little easier to get to than Forestville (sorry, Brian, but you get first choice of guest room). So date and time to be announced, at my home in Oakland. Huge thanks to Brian Tuite for introducing me to the wine (2009 debut) when we traded Syrah bottles the first time we met in person. I called Brian right after opening it, and I knew then that Brian was going to be my Syrah guru. He also introduced me to Paul and Jackie, for which I am even more grateful.
I’ve been working with Paul and Jackie in the vineyard sporadically for the last two growing seasons, and they work incredibly hard at this. The drive up there is long for me, longer for them. I have had my fingers crossed that it falls into the right hands. It is a beautiful, amazing vineyard, but it’s remote, somebody already farming in that area (Anderson Valley, or even Alexander Valley) could realize some economies of scale.
That was the day Rob P and I went tasting at Lagier Meredith and then dropped into Corison on a whim and Hardy Wallace poured us a vertical from magnum.
We met you in Yountville at Redd Wood. You brought that bottle of ‘89 Beaucastel horseshit. ![[wink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/04707e6a7bbb03e0153e349d8a9270d30e1e9525.gif "wink"){kind=small}
Fun times.
I know you just turned 6-0 and everything but your memory is going. RP brought the Beaucastel, and thankfully we tolerate brett pretty well. I traded you a Jade Mountain Parras Vineyard for the Halcon. Jade Mountain had been sold and ruined, so the bottle I brought was about to disappear from the face of the earth. TBF, you got the rest of the details right. So glad you remember our first date at all. Also, Rob’s teeth were completely purple, he had not been spitting while tasting, and I had to drive about 90 mph to get him to the airport in Oakland in time for his flight.
Insanely fun times, but I didn’t drink the Halcon till later, so I was totally objective. Honestly had no expectations based on the label and having at that time only limited knowledge of how similar our taste in Syrah is.
I will sweeten the offer for the going away: You get first choice of room AND you don’t have to share it with GregT.
I knew there was some reason i brought you along! ![[pillow-fight.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/3/365d4ae6de5fe0cd9e7345760c12ceae1ed5e206.gif "[pillow-fight.gif]")
Good memory!
Good luck and best wishes Paul!
Good luck Paul and Jackie! We had a great time tasting with you two and Scott up at the SF winery a few years back.
Also, the idea of partially owning a vineyard is very intriguing…keep me in the loop if such loop ever comes into being.
The Pav once drank Beaucastel?!
You can come to my house too and drink some of my 2005 Grand Cru Burgs from that adventure and I will tell you what really happened.
He did. He also used to drink Cali Cabs. Gotta start somewhere, and he started a couple rungs up from the “value” labels.