Vines of Mendoza: The Inside Story March 1, 2010

Another DC refugee finds solace in wine and another continent: the inside story behind The Vines of Mendoza project…

“To entertain visiting investors and lure new ones, Evans converted an old Spanish Colonial house into a tasting room and built a wine store and bar, featuring 100 Argentinean varieties, in the Park Hyatt Mendoza. The surrounding area isn’t shabby, either. In October Seattle technology executive Michael Brochu and his wife rode horses to survey their 5-acre plot tended by Evans. They stayed overnight in a nearby stone casita, ate steak at an Argentinean barbecue and put back a lot of wine. “I can’t say I’ve had as much fun with any other investment,” gushes Brochu. Evans is having fun, too. Last year Vines of Mendoza generated $3.7 million in revenue, down 30% from 2008. About 80% came from selling the plots.

Launching a wine empire was a huge leap for Evans, who had bounced around for 20 years working political campaigns, doing business development for a few technology startups and running the foundation arm of the trade group for the wireless-communication industry. When Kerry lost in 2004, Evans was renting an apartment in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and most of his belongings were in storage. On a whim he met up with David Garrett, an old friend, in Buenos Aires. The pair took a wine-tasting class, and their instructor suggested they look up wine expert Pablo Gimenez-Riili, who gave them a tour of his family’s vineyard in Mendoza. “A lightbulb went off,” recalls Evans. “The combination made me think that Mendoza is Napa Valley 35 years ago.”"

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0301/second-acts-wine-mendoza-malbec-planting-roots.html