A list of most improbable career choices in Tampa might include snowboard instructor. Mountain climbing guide should rank up there, too. Winemaker would definitely make my top five.
Yeah, yeah, I know there are locally made wines. But (how do I say this nicely?) — they suck.
Paul Clear's Tampa-based Terroir Wine Cellars wines certainly don't suck. That's because his wines are not made in the Sunshine State. Try Spain.
You see, Paul is what you'd call a negociant, a fancy French term for someone who typically owns no vineyard or winery but who arranges (negotiates) to have other folks make it for him. In Paul's case, those folks work for a very special winemaker in a tiny town in southeastern Spain called Albecete.
Now before you think Paul is some South Tampa dilettante who's dabbling in wine making, you should know that he's a guy who's been working around wine since before he could legally drink it. His first taste of the wine business was stocking shelves at a local wine shop just out of high school in Buffalo, New York. Hardly a glamorous gig. But the more Paul learned about what was in all those bottles, the more he wanted to learn.
A stint as a regional wine sales rep soon led to consulting jobs with high-end wine shops around the country. Tapped by wineries for his nose for business and wines, he found himself preferring to hang out with the winemakers instead of those in the front office. More than a decade later, Paul not only knew the wine biz — he knew what makes a great wine.
Which is just what he decided to do eight years ago. His goal: Make great, affordable, wines.
A lover of Spanish wines, Paul knew the only way to find the right winery was to walk the vineyards, talk with the winemaker and taste the wines. Three trips to Spain and visits to more than 120 wineries later, Paul drove up one day to a small winery in the town of Albecete in his ludicrously puny rental car.
As soon as he tried the wines, he knew he'd finally found what he was looking for.
"I fell in love with the winery right then," Paul said recently at South Tampa's CRU Cellars, where he shared some of his wines. He moved to Tampa five years ago, and since then the portfolio of wines he makes and imports through his Terroir Wine Cellars has grown from one to nearly a dozen, sold in more than 20 states.
His first, Palarea Tinto 2005, arrived in the U.S. last year. "This one's my baby," Paul said. "It's wonderful."
After tasting it myself, I'd agree. Made from a blend of hand-harvested cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah, it's a bold wine. One that'll stand up to anything your grill can throw at it. You'll also taste some smoke, lavender and rosemary it in. And like all of his wines, it's light on your wallet, at only $16 a bottle.
His Palarea Merlot 2006 ($15), spicy and jammy, will make you rethink long-maligned merlot.
A sparkler, Grand Pasion Brut Reserva, is fruity and light. Lovely. And at around $10 a bottle, it's criminally inexpensive. It's now his most popular wine.
He's also just begun importing Grandalla Gran Reserva 2004. He showed me one of only 30 bottles in country. As decorated with awards as a five-star general, this one carries a price tag to match ($125).
Paul's also begun importing Spanish wines made by a pal. Organic and biodynamic, Lobetia brand wines are, like his other wines, very good and affordable ($10 to $16). In other words, perfect for every day.
The Lobetia Chardonnay 2010 was zingy and fresh. The Lobetia Viognier 2010 was nicely floral, with tastes of nuts. The Lobetia Tempranillo 2010 was dry and tasted of strawberries. I also enjoyed the plums and bacon (honest) in the Lobetia Syrah 2010. I especially liked the Lobetia Tempranillo/Petit Verdot Roble 2010 blend, big and juicy.
I'm drooling just typing this.
Yeah, yeah, I know there are locally made wines. But (how do I say this nicely?) — they suck.
Paul Clear's Tampa-based Terroir Wine Cellars wines certainly don't suck. That's because his wines are not made in the Sunshine State. Try Spain.
You see, Paul is what you'd call a negociant, a fancy French term for someone who typically owns no vineyard or winery but who arranges (negotiates) to have other folks make it for him. In Paul's case, those folks work for a very special winemaker in a tiny town in southeastern Spain called Albecete.
A stint as a regional wine sales rep soon led to consulting jobs with high-end wine shops around the country. Tapped by wineries for his nose for business and wines, he found himself preferring to hang out with the winemakers instead of those in the front office. More than a decade later, Paul not only knew the wine biz — he knew what makes a great wine.
Which is just what he decided to do eight years ago. His goal: Make great, affordable, wines.
A lover of Spanish wines, Paul knew the only way to find the right winery was to walk the vineyards, talk with the winemaker and taste the wines. Three trips to Spain and visits to more than 120 wineries later, Paul drove up one day to a small winery in the town of Albecete in his ludicrously puny rental car.
As soon as he tried the wines, he knew he'd finally found what he was looking for.
"I fell in love with the winery right then," Paul said recently at South Tampa's CRU Cellars, where he shared some of his wines. He moved to Tampa five years ago, and since then the portfolio of wines he makes and imports through his Terroir Wine Cellars has grown from one to nearly a dozen, sold in more than 20 states.
His first, Palarea Tinto 2005, arrived in the U.S. last year. "This one's my baby," Paul said. "It's wonderful."
After tasting it myself, I'd agree. Made from a blend of hand-harvested cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah, it's a bold wine. One that'll stand up to anything your grill can throw at it. You'll also taste some smoke, lavender and rosemary it in. And like all of his wines, it's light on your wallet, at only $16 a bottle.
His Palarea Merlot 2006 ($15), spicy and jammy, will make you rethink long-maligned merlot.
A sparkler, Grand Pasion Brut Reserva, is fruity and light. Lovely. And at around $10 a bottle, it's criminally inexpensive. It's now his most popular wine.
He's also just begun importing Grandalla Gran Reserva 2004. He showed me one of only 30 bottles in country. As decorated with awards as a five-star general, this one carries a price tag to match ($125).
Paul's also begun importing Spanish wines made by a pal. Organic and biodynamic, Lobetia brand wines are, like his other wines, very good and affordable ($10 to $16). In other words, perfect for every day.
The Lobetia Chardonnay 2010 was zingy and fresh. The Lobetia Viognier 2010 was nicely floral, with tastes of nuts. The Lobetia Tempranillo 2010 was dry and tasted of strawberries. I also enjoyed the plums and bacon (honest) in the Lobetia Syrah 2010. I especially liked the Lobetia Tempranillo/Petit Verdot Roble 2010 blend, big and juicy.
I'm drooling just typing this.
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