THEOPOLIS VINEYARDS IS ESTATIC TO BE A BERSERKERDAY NEWBIE!

Scott_Brunson · January 25, 2017, 10:19pm

This looks very cool!

Theodora_Lee · January 26, 2017, 1:58am

ky1em1ttskus · January 26, 2017, 4:18am

Theopatra, your responses aren’t posting correctly. Not sure what you’re doing wrong, but it’s something.

Freelon_F_Hunter · January 26, 2017, 5:45am

Theodora Lee:

Freelon F Hunter:

Hi Theopatra,

Have to ask what drew you to the biz and also the Egyptian theme? (I have Ramses II in papyrus hanging on the wall in my den…)

Well, I pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority in college and my Greek line name was Theopolis. So, when I planted the vineyard, I could not call it by my last name, Lee as there was another Lee Family Vineyard across the street so I needed to identify a name that was unique to me so decided to call it Theopolis Vineyards. Then, some creative folks saw me on the tractor and started calling me Theo-patra, Queen of the Vineyards. As you know, Cleopatra was Greek and went into Egypt and became its leader. So, as a black women coming into the wine business, one can make a similar comparison.

As to what drew me to the biz, I started in this wine business to simply grow grapes as I am a country girl from Texas who learned to drive on a Tractor, and was looking to do farming as a distraction to the law. I was fortunate enough to sale the grapes from my first harvest to Mike Officer at Carlisle who bottled the petite that got the 96 fro Parker so I was well on my way. Then, fast forward to 2012 and I had another buyer who wanted the brix level at a high level and I had to pick in the rain, and that buyer, not Mike, rejected the grapes and so I had 8 tons on my hand so I had to become a wine maker and that 2012 Petite won Gold at Sunset Magazine and sold out so I decided to continute bottling wines and selling the grapes too and now sale to Paul Gordon at Halcon. So, now I am a farmer and wine maker.

Great story, thanks for sharing.

tomrg58 · January 26, 2017, 10:58pm

Sampled their wines at last years Los Angeles Garagiste festival. They’re terrific!