Nevada’s only vineyard worth a visit

Max Jacobson

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2001 | 9 a.m.

Editor's note: This is another in a series on the Made In Nevada program. A variety of small businesses are members. The Sun is focusing on the members who produce food and beverages.

You know that you are truly in the wild West the minute you set foot in the attractive little tasting room at Pahrump Valley Vineyards. It is probably the only tasting room in the entire United States also to have a full bar. The thing is, you can have a Jack Daniels practically anywhere; you don't have to come up to the fast-growing Pahrump Valley for that.

Nevada is one of 48 wine-producing states. Only Alaska and North Dakota do not have wine-producing facilities. Amazingly, though, it is not Pahrump's first winery. Way back in 1875, it was home to Chateau Manse.

The winery, the only one in the state, is the result of the singular passion of Jack Sanders. In 1988 when there were no alcohol producers in Nevada, Sanders, at the time a Marin County, Calif., businessman, decided to buy a 3 1/2-half acre plot of land on a gentle slope. In the spring of 1991 he planted his first vines.

Things didn't go smoothly after that. One day in January 1992 he came to check on his vines and saw seven wild mustangs, all of whom had been feasting on his plants. The horses destroyed 2,700 vines and Sanders had to replant.

In addition, at the time there was legislation stating all alcoholic beverages sold in Nevada had to be imported. Before the law was amended, Sanders cleverly circumvented it by trucking his wine 10 miles to California, and then bringing it back to Nevada.

Fast forward to the present, where Sanders gets far more than 100,000 visitors each year. Many are on special winery tours operated by Sundance Helicopters, a flight that takes passengers over Red Rock Canyon on the way out, and over a brightly lit Las Vegas Strip on return.

It's also simple to come by car, over a scenic route that takes around 1 hour, 15 minutes from Las Vegas. But everyone who comes gets an interesting cultural encounter and can taste the only wines produced in this state.

Sanders himself is the winemaker and had a legendary teacher, studying the craft with Andre Tschelistcheff, who taught dozens of prominent Napa and Sonoma winemakers the art. Sanders, helped by cellar master Ken Walker, uses oak fermentation in his Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. He ferments most of his grapes in stainless steel, so don't expect huge, oaky flavors in these wines. Sanders makes seven different wines, which range from $7-$16.

One of the most interesting wines Sanders produces is Symphony ($8.50). This is the grape, which is grown on the property and was developed by oenologists at the University of California, Davis, California. It grows so well because it's a good hot-weather grape.

Symphony is a pleasantly fruity wine, the most prestigious Sanders makes. A few years ago the wine took a Double Gold award in the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

For his fruity but dry Chardonnay, Sanders uses grapes from Monterey County, Calif. His Merlot is brought in from California's Central Valley. One of his more interesting wines is Burgundy. Call it Wine 101, since it is one of the fruitiest red wines around. Sanders uses equal quantities of five grape varietals in production: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Merlot.

It doesn't end there. The winery's version of White Zinfandel is Desert Blush, and to achieve the wine's seductively light pink color, Sanders allows the crush to ferment on the skin for only 20 minutes. The white wine called Charleston Peak is a proprietary blend. It's fruity and soft, and only the winemaker knows the recipe.

These wines are mainly light and easy to drink. If you don't buy them on the property, they are available throughout the Las Vegas area, in such places as Smith's, Albertson's and in other markets and wine shops.

Also, the tasting room sells a variety of products. The delicious, homemade raspberry vinaigrette ($8.50 a bottle) that you might have on your salad if you should dine in the winery restaurant. In addition to that, there are cheeses, sausages, accessories and gift baskets.

Dining in the restaurant is also an option. Sanders designed the hacienda style building himself, and the hexagonal restaurant as well. The restaurant is elegant, with high-backed tapestry chairs and a hand-painted, Viennese-style border that runs along the perimeter of the wall just under the ceiling. The food is Continental, and entrees at dinner average around $18. It is one of the few places locally where you can eat retro fare, such as beef Wellington or veal Oscar, but the menu is full of familiar chestnuts as well. It goes without saying that the restaurant serves wine, but the only wines are from Pahrump Valley.

In the spring there are regular performances in the winery amphitheater, which are usually musicals or revues. You can find out more by taking a peek at its website, pahrumpwinery.com.

The restaurant is open noon-3 p.m. daily for lunch, 5-9 p.m. daily for dinner. Winery tours are conducted from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, or by special arrangement.

The winery is at 3810 Winery Road in Pahrump. Call (775) 727-6900 for more information.