From trail snack maker to winemaker

[Editor's note: Since I wrote this post, I interviewed the proprietors of Clif Bar Family Winery, Kit Crawford and Gary Erickson. See my follow-up post of April, 2008 titled Chewing the fat with Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford of Clif Bar Family Winery, which includes reviews of four Clif Bar wines.]

When I’m out on a hike, I tend to reach for a Clif Bar when I sense the need for a little energy. These snacks are packed with carbohydrates, protein, and fiber to increase blood sugar levels and boost energy, but unlike other brands of snack bars in the active lifestyle market, Clif Bars seem to me to blend just the right amount of taste, texture, and moistness. At least they don’t cause me to drink large volumes of water just to get them down my throat.

I even have my favorite Clif Bars, which are the Carrot Cake and Blueberry Crisp; I buy them by the case when I’m shopping at REI or Trader Joe’s.

This morning I learned that the folks who make Clif Bars, Gary Erickson & Kit Crawford, practice sustainable and organic farming methods that transcend through all aspects of life on the Farm. They run all of their vehicles on biodiesel and grow 100% organic fruits and vegetables, and they’re really into the slow food movement.

I didn’t know those things! But it makes me glad I buy Clif Bars. And now I have a reason to buy Clif Bar wines.

Yep, Gary and Kit have joined forces with winemaker and triathlete Sarah Gott to produce a selection of handcrafted Napa Valley and North Coast wines, under the guidance of sustainable methodology. So far, Clif Bar Family Wines has produced just four bottlings:

The Climber, 2004 North Coast Red Wine
Kit’s killer cab, 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Gary’s Improv, 2003 Napa Valley Meritage
Syrah, 2004 Napa Valley

Here are notes from the website’s store about The Climber:

The lots for this wine were sourced throughout the North Coast. We searched for wines of exceptional varietal flavor and intensity and found hidden treasures in Mendocino County, Russian River Valley and Napa Valley. The Climber is ruby red in color with bright aromas of strawberry, raspberry jam, nutmeg and hints of cedar. The wine is soft and balanced on the palate with a delicate raspberry candy finish.

Blend:
59% Zinfandel
20% Syrah
9% Cabernet Sauvignon
6% Merlot
6% Petite Sirah

Bottle prices range from $15 to $35; the wines can be purchased at the Clif Bar Family Wines website.

Thanks to Gadling for the news.

~winehiker

This entry was posted on Monday, July 23rd, 2007 at 2:20 pm and is filed under grape squeezins, winehiker's trails. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.