It wasn’t revolutionary as to how he got to owning a vineyard in the prized Carneros AVA. Yet in today’s Insta-want-and-need-now world, we can forget that it’s really quite simple: It takes two nickels to make a dime. And getting those two nickels takes time.
You see, while everybody else was throwing on their bathing suits and heading to the Frisco Bay, Francis Mahoney was out mowing lawns, doing what he could to get to where he wanted to be. It was the 60s and Napa was a nobody. But Francis saw something and yearned to make wine there.
“This isn’t marketing, there’s a real connection here for me,” Francis said as we sat under the shade, sipping a ’78 Cab from his Napa Valley vineyards.
So he worked hard. He studied winemaking. He met the right people. Francis did all the things necessary to get to this very moment of enjoying his wine with his vineyards in the background, his soul content.
He considers himself a lucky man, but I’ve never been keen on attributing hard work and passion to luck. Francis built this life and learned to survive anything. He didn’t always make money, but he never went broke.
“You have to care. And when you care there are no excuses, you can’t go broke…you just have to figure it out,” he said while swirling.
That meant sometimes having to buy the ¢7 cork instead of the ¢10 cork. Having the foresight to take those three extra cents and turn them into more vineyards, certain that great wines started there.
One sip of the ’78 Cabernet Sauvignon will have you on his side. Sure it was past its prime, but the wine was very much still alive, acidity still kicking. The nose was chocolate-covered raisins drizzled in vinegar. The mouth manifesting more chocolate, along with dates and coconut.
From there we continued the conversation, learning about his days as a Pinot Noir pioneer. He spent 10+ years planting various Pinot clones to discover their preferences for location, pruning, water, soil, etc.
A man who can talk Pinot to me will always have my heart.
He reminisced on the Judgement of Paris days. He admitted to losing his way in the ’80s by covering up delicate fruit with the big, barreled babies that critics at the time were seeking. He winked and advised to never tell your neighbor that you’ve got a good well. And he smiled.
Francis Mahoney has lived a good life. Armed with the patience and perseverance that a poignant Pinot Noir requires, he always got back up, always put his pants back on.
In today’s reality, you’re going to need a whole lotta nickels to own a vineyard in Napa. But hey, anything is possible, so grab your lawnmower and get to work.
And remember, great wines start among the vines.
And also remember, a purple mouth is a happy mouth <3
