Dream Big!
Fitzpatrick Winery & Lodge is for sale
This uniquely integrated
agriculture-based enterprise encompasses decades of innovation,
forward-thinking & planning positioning itself consistently at the cutting
edge of today and into tomorrow. Fitzpatrick Winery & Lodge has made
history, built tradition, is contemporary and already reaches toward the
future. Dreamed and built by Brian & Diana Fitzpatrick over three decades,
Fitzpatrick Winery & Lodge is the jewel of Fair Play.
"Where once there were mines, now there's fine wines" speaks of the transition of this sleepy remnant of the California Gold Rush into a burgeoning world-class wine growing region coveted by thousands of eonophiles( winos) and modern explorers. This transition started with the Fitzpatricks opening Fair Play's first winery in 1980. By the end of that decade four wineries were open. A total of eight welcomed the ever growing visitors by the end of 1999. Now in 2006 the number of wineries in the nationally recognized Fair Play AVA (American Viticultural Area) is fast approaching 25. Unbelievable to the old timers but the enthusiasm and energy just keeps on building. And thousands of new customers discover Fair Play each year.
At first we didn't have a decent restaurant nor a bed to offer in Fair Play.
Brian Fitzpatrick foresaw that shortcoming and designed a new facility back in
1984. After gaining El Dorado County approval, groundbreaking for Fitzpatrick
Winery & Lodge took place atop a newly tamed hilltop overlooking almost all
of Fair Play and beyond in late 1985. This was to become 
necessary respite from
the rigors of wine tasting, we began serving what is now an endearing
tradition, our Ploughman's Lunch starting back in 1987.
But Fitzpatrick Winery & Lodge is more than just large at 8500 square
feet, it's awesome, inspiring and very appropriate architecture for this Sierra
Foothill setting. Europeans and world travelers all mention its likeness to fond
mountain memories elsewhere. The massive hand-crafted log structure creates a
dramatic setting with a commanding vantage point of the beautiful wine country
and pristine foothill and high country beyond. Upon entering the Lodge, the
golden glow and scale of the logs exudes a warm secure homey atmosphere that
all enjoy. On this main floor is the tasting room / sales area, the commercial
kitchen, the Great Room and the Log Suite. Above with commanding views are the
four other B&B rooms including the Winemakers' Suite, the Irish Room, the
French Basque Room and the Olde Fair Play Room displaying pictures and relics
of Fair Play's past. All five B&B rooms have private baths and fireplaces.
Every B&B room steps out onto its own deck with spectacular v
iews. Upstairs is a
common entertainment area known as the overlook, with expansive view of the
north and overlooking the Great Room. Then outside are common decks where
guests and customers alike bathe their eyes in endless beauty and peacefulness.
Famous and enduring is our wood-fired oven, its many wholesome breads baked
fresh each weekend and Pizza Night on Fridays from mid-April through
mid-October.
The vertical integration of Winery & Lodge starts below, dug ten feet into the earth with about 2500 square feet, enjoying the earth's cool temperature, of wine cellar. Outside of these cellars and immediately adjacent are the crushing, fermenting and pressing areas. Inside the cool cellars the aging of the wines in both oak barrels and stainless tanks effortlessly takes place. Downstairs adjacent to the wine cellars is the mechanical room, another bathroom/shower, laundry room, office and special library wine cellar.
At cellar level, but enjoying privacy and the same stunning views as the Lodge above is a two bedroom / one bath with covered deck owner's/managers quarters. This positioning is perfect for combining privacy and good visual knowledge of the ingress and egress to the property.
What grand manor with
such a commanding hilltop would be complete without a castle? So at the highest
point just steps away from the Lodge sits a solid 24 feet high stronghold
complete with tower fort top. However this castle serves purposes beyond its
overlook. A 1600 gallon water tank is perched up on its second story as an emergency
source of potable water. The castle is protected on one side with its
modern-day moat - a 25 meter lap pool which is the envy of all on the many
beautiful hot summer days and nights. The entrance to this secret amenity
is stairs shaded by an arching trellis of Zinfandel grapevines. The pool and
castle are surrounded by exposed aggregate decking, a patch of lawn, flowers
creating a great and private space to sun, relax and room to have a sizable
family garden.
The massive log Lodge with its winery operations in the cellars is completely backed up electrically with a generator house about 100 feet to the west. A White Diesel generating up to 47 KW at 210 amps in both 3-phase and single phase electricity is ready to keep the operations going if needed. We currently power the generator with Biofuel.
However the real excitement comes for the green enthusiasts to know that our
entire operation is powered by the sun. We invested in two systems approaching
40 KW production. They're both grid-tied which means tied to the public utility
PG&E with bi-directional meters. In the day we produce power enough for our
current needs and export the excess running our meter backwards. At night and
on rainy days we still enjoy the consistency of being on the grid. The field-mounted
10KW system down in the vineyard powers all our wells 
and meets or exceeds the
annual electrical demands. The 30KW system is roof mounted on a new 4,000
square foot metal wharehouse and comes close to supplying the electrical needs
of our entire operation. The bi-directional meter of this larger system is also
time-of-use which means that during the day we are exporting energy almost
three times the value of the energy we consume at night. The relationship with
the utility company is that of trading KWs insulating our energy costs overtime
from skyrocketing with the ever-increasing energy costs of electrcity.
This 4,000 square foot metal structure has two functions. The entire building was insulated with one-half super-insulated and is used as a temperature-controlled wine case storage. Labeling and shipping are all staged within this facility. The other side of this center-dividing wall is our Agricultural workshop. It acts as storage for equipment, materials and provides a welcomed area for industrial fabricating and projects. Our entire winery and vineyard operation is very comfortable within the space it now occupies with room to expand.
Surrounding the buildings are the vineyards. The heart and soul of our
agricultural based agro-tourism enterprise are the vineyards. We currently have
approximately 18 acres planted with room for another 2 acres already cleared.
The varieties and their clones have been personally selected for their wine
quality and best-fit by location within our multiple aspect vineyard site. The
vineyard plan consists of classical groups of world-reknown varietals. Our
The vineyards are all certified organic and have been since the beginning.
If this doesn't seem significant to you
now, I guarantee time
will prove it one of the most enduring beneficial features of our farm. Not
only does it develop a healthy environment for the land and its workers but for
the owners, family and visitors. Organic certification also positions yourself
to be ahead of the curve as chemical farming runs into the elimination of one
chemical after another as they lose approval for use. The public's appreciation
for organic agriculture is growing rapidly and our farm is the local leader in
this field. As part of the sale I am offering an unprecedented incentive
of $100,000 to stay the course and continue to be certified organic for the
next ten years. After that you won't need any coaxing to stay the
course.
Our vineyards have produced wines winning Grand Awards, Best of Shows, Golds, Silvers and Bronzes. The production of the vineyards is still maturing (vineyard blocks range from 16 years old to 1 year) so overall yields will increase over the next 5 years or so. Immediately adjacent to this 30 acres is a 10 acre parcel with 6 acres of grapes that is farmed collectively by us, certified organic, and part of our winemaking program. That 10 acres is owned by Hank Schuyler, an in-law, and is not available for sale; however, the grapes are farmed and purchased every year as part of our estate vineyards. As time goes by one could plan on production levels nearly doubling, especially with increased inputs to about 80-100 total tons or the equivalent of 4000 - 6500 cases annually. Currently our production averages 3000+ cases and growing. Then depending on whether the wines are marketed direct through the tasting room or through distribution, the potential for doubling wine sales' revenues becomes a realistic goal for the near future. A marketing reexamination of our current brand and image may offer ideas for a little reinvention that would position the brand at a higher price point and therefore increase significantly gross revenues.
The future holds so many possibilities for improvement and revenue building. The aforementioned in the winery, restructuring the B&B rates, offering spa services and exploring the possibilities of more food service would keep one busy just to name a few.
The lifestyle of owning and running our business is extremely rewarding with all the wonderful people we meet, challenging to not just keep up with the day to day but to foresee the future and ready oneself to meet that future, and demanding of your total self; there is nothing part-time about this business. A couple can do it, after all we've done it for over 25 years with part-time helpers of course. But I foresee the more perfect workload sharing would be with two or more couples or amongst a family with adult children. This business demands many talents and could be neatly delegated into vineyard, winery, B&B, sales, food service and business management for example. On a day to day basis each partner would meet the demands of their department. However when the season demands all hands on deck, most everyone jumps in to help. With such delegation comes less overall working hours for everyone, more social flexibility and hopefully more overall energy and talent to take Fitzpatrick Winery & Lodge to new heights.
If you're honestly interested in purchasing you'll have many questions, read on first, then contact me, Brian Fitzpatrick, via email: brian@fitzpatrickwinery.com or by phone (530)620-3248 . We look forward to working with new owners and we'll make the transition be meaningful and helpful so you too can enjoy and follow your dreams.