Ex-Lawyer Is Happy Now

On the "Cinderella Trail" of Napa Valley, Vigil Vineyards' story reads a bit like Cinderella's as well, or in this case, "Cinderfella". Jamie Pawlak was dressed in the garb of a tax attorney before he was transformed into a winemaker. It wasn't a fairy godmother that brought forth his winemaking spirit, but rather a friend's home winemaking family. "I'd been following in my parents' footsteps, and they were both workaholics," he recalled. "When I visited this family and learned about wine, I saw that it was one of the great pleasures of life."

In 1989, Jamie purchased 10 acres just north of Calistoga at the far end of Napa Valley. There, he worked to convert an old vineyard planted in the '40s to organic farming. Vigil today is a certified California Organic Farm. The vines are dry farmed, meaning all watering is done by Mother Nature. Beans, peas and grasses are planted between rows of vines and turned under in the spring as compost.

Unlike many vineyards planted long ago in wine country, the varietals in Jamie's were not mixed all together. Jamie could harvest the Palomino, Carignane, Refosco, French Colombard and Zinfandel and experiment with each separately.

And experiment he did! Like the unusual cultural mix of his heritage (Scotch/Irish on his mother's side, Mexican/Apache Indian on his father's), Jamie's and co-winemaker Michael Loftus' wine blends are unique. Their "Terra Vin" combines Zinfandel with Carignane, and his "Vigilante Red" marries Blue Portuguese, Syrah, Carignane, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouchet and Zinfandel. "Valiente Meritage" is a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot from select Napa Valley vineyards. Vigil also produces two Zinfandels, the Mohr-Fry Ranch-Lod "Old Vine" and the Beauty Ranch-Howell Mountain-Napa Valley.

In 1995, Jamie built a Mediterranean villa style winery and named it Vigil, after the family name of his Apache ancestors. Backed by Mt. St. Helena, its red tile roof and earth tones blend in beautifully with the environment. On summer days, the heat rising from the rocky hills is intense!

Since Jamie switched from lawyering to winemaking, is he living happily ever after with his wines and customers? "As a lawyer, I would work hard and maybe get a good outcome for my client, but they were not always happy! With wine, people are always happy!"

For more information, please contact The California Wine Club at 1-800-777-4443 or visit us at www.cawineclub.com.

< Return to Articles
 

Search the Site: Search word(s)

Visitor Favorites:
Golf San Luis Obispo
Attention golfers! San Luis Obispo offers some of the finest golfing in California set against a backdrop of stunning ocean views, so pack your camera along with your clubs. Morro Bay, a "must-play" course for all golf aficionados, offers a Pebble Beach-like track at a fraction of the cost.

Find Out More >>