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This week we explore the wider community around the winery, experience the first big event for the exclusive Sky Club members and look to the future. If you love wine, business and the thrill of new ventures. Then sit back and enjoy Avondale Sky Winery.
https://avondalesky.com/
If you love wine, business and the thrill of new ventures. Then Avondale Sky Winery is the show for you.
In 2019, the Coutinho family took a leap of faith. They bought a winery with no previous experience in the winemaking industry. Nestled in rural Nova Scotia, this podcast captures the ups and downs of their first 2 years running Avondale Sky Winery.
This is the story of risk, passion and family. A story about rural life and community. A story of adapting to survive and learning to thrive.
To learn more about the winery or to buy some of the wine featured visit: https://avondalesky.com/
Carl: Welcome to Avondale sky
winery.
Rhys Waters: This is a story of
risk, passion and family. A
story about rural life and
community. A story about
adapting to survive and learning
to thrive, if you will of wine
business and the thrill of new
ventures then sit back and enjoy
Avondale sky winery. This week
we explore the wider community
that has grown around the winery
and experience the first major
event for the exclusive sky club
members.
The surge of support for buying
local has seen smaller
businesses find new customer
bases and unexpected growth. But
it's not just about consumers,
as the Avondale sky team are
making sure the old church
building is a community focal
point for lots of ventures. Carl
talks us through some of the
local art they showcase.
Carl: What what we've got is
we've got local artists doing
local things. So some some
things are like you say there
might be dwarfs or waterfront
pieces. We had a beautiful one
of actually Halifax in the
bridges that was here. But yeah,
there's there's lighthouses
there's wharfs, there's one of
the winery itself, there's one
of the puppy, vino, who's the
mascot here at the winery. So
they're done, we usually have
two or three different local
artists. So what they do is we
allow them to put their stuff up
here, and we sort of sell it for
them on consignment. And that
allows them to get some
exposure, they'll sometimes
they'll come here and they'll
even paint on site, which is
kind of cool for people to see.
But yeah, we try and support as
much as possible as one is sold
there usually have another one
ready to
Rhys Waters: put up. This is all
part of supporting the town they
call home. Both an
Carl: advantage and sometimes
can be viewed as a
disadvantages. We are not on the
strip in Wolfville, where
there's 10 to 12 different
wineries that you can hit in an
hour. We are off the beaten
path, but we are the only game
in town as it represents a
winery. So we try and make this
more of a destination for the
community. What else do we have
in the community? That's not
necessarily a winery? So yeah,
there's breweries, yeah, there's
restaurants. There's Bnbs.
There's museums, there's a lot
of history, there's a beautiful
Wharf, there's, you know, a good
sense of community. So to do
that, we have to embrace that.
And that includes putting things
like the artwork, you know,
other crafts and things that
that local artists might be
working on. We want to help
promote them. We're not trying
to make money off of it. We're
trying to just bring more people
here to the community. We try
and make it you know, even with
the tours and stuff to try and
how do we do more as a community
to say, look, make Avondale
maybe your first stop or your
last stop. But there's lots of
other things to see.
Rhys Waters: Shawn leads the
wineries restaurant and making
sure it has a truly local
experience is vital.
Shawn: We try and work with
farmers we put a call out
beginning of the year and use a
lot of the farmers locally. But
even before the day starts, a
lot of our chef or head chef
will go to the market checkout
to noggins on the way here from
Wolfville and go to Alton's and
grab some meat and whatever is
along the way that we know is a
good stop for fresh produce, or
the best of what it does. It's
really nice to be able to use
that. And then it comes through
in the taste of everything as
well. But our chef is both our
brother, Chef and sous chef were
incredible friends this year.
They're so dynamic, bringing in
their culture and influences as
well. Our sous chef Bach who was
from who's from Vietnam, us
putting on stuffed chicken wings
with a fish sauce caramel, which
was incredible, and some
Vietnamese pancakes and just
putting a lot of twist on stuff
for specials. So every weekend,
we're doing something different,
but keeping it local, local
source, but then with a twist
and trying to blow people's
minds with some of the food that
they're pumping out.
Rhys Waters: For Shawn and
Carl's dad, Louis, it's been
amazing to see the family grow
such strong links, I have
Unknown: to say I'm really
that's the one thing that we're
very proud of, where we're
trying to engage our community
as best as we can in what we do
here. And and supporting the
community in any way we can. So
we're really thrilled. I'm
particularly happy with Sean and
Mallory, my youngest son and his
girlfriend, who've got quite
engaged with the, with the local
community. In many ways, you
know, they've been sitting on
some boards, but they also
participate in some of the
events over here and we've let
them use of compound you know,
to sell them garlic and that
type of thing, you know, is
anything we can do. We want to
be part of the community and we
want them to feel like this is
we're part of them, you know,
and it's been really a good
experience for us and we want
to, you know, we want to do
better and if their community
has any ideas We're open to
those.
Rhys Waters: For vineyard
manager, Pete the give and take
between the winery and the
community is everything.
Unknown: For us out here, it's
really a key we need to have,
even if there's one member from
a family out here that the hours
are so odd sometimes and the
harvest times are so, so
different. And we have to have
families that are able to sort
of either all work together out
here, which some of them we've
got sometimes three or four
generations from one family out
here, or we need to have
families that are supportive at
home too, for people be gone for
a 12 hour day of picking and,
and harvesting. And it's so we
find that we rely a lot on local
families who are close by to
hear for our picking crew and
for a lot of our, our labor
throughout the season. And it's
it's it's a key to our success.
I think, too, that we have such
good support from the locals and
families around here.
Rhys Waters: The immediate
community isn't the only group
that supports the winery, from
the moment they took over the
sky club has been a key part of
the family.
Unknown: So we have our wine
club, which we've doubled since
we've taken ownership. So we've
had a lot of enthusiasm around
that. So basically, our wine
club is four releases a year. So
March, June, September,
December, you get four bottles
of wine, depending on which
wines are in the release. It's
between 80 and $120 plus tax,
and gives them access to you
know, some unreleased stuff,
some library wines that we've
kind of, you know, we're once
available and then are tucked
away. Now. They also get 10% off
of any additional wines or
merchandise or anything they
purchase, free tastings. So just
some other little perks.
Rhys Waters: For sure the
enhanced exclusive relationship
is very special.
Shawn: Not everybody gets to
come in all the time and lives
locally enough. But there are
some Skyclan Skyclub members
that are very familiar, and they
come multiple times a summer.
And that's really wonderful
because we get to know them a
little bit more personally than
just their name on a card and
that sort of thing. So they get
free tastings they get they get
free desserts. There's lots of
benefits to it. But I think they
they love the vibes of the
winery. Either way, whether they
were Skyclub member or not, they
would come visit because the
they see how relaxing or our
atmosphere is compared to some
of the ones that might be more
off the main drag that ours is
definitely off the beaten path.
And even though we have been
getting busier and busier, we
still have our slice of heaven
that is really peaceful. So but
yeah, the sky Club is a pretty
awesome wine club thing. And
they have exclusive wines that
the public may never ever see.
And that's definitely true for
some of the wines they just
received, like the Salvino.
blown it was, I think we pretty
well sold out just yesterday
when we released it. So that's,
that's great. And I think we're
down to 20 bottles maybe. And I
know as soon as some of the
members that didn't make it to
the pickup party, and that, that
once they get to try it,
there'll be scooping up those
last and really, really quickly.
So it is it's a great exclusive
sort of club. And I know at some
point here, it's going to max
out. And that makes me sad,
because obviously, we want
everybody to be able to join.
But when we're doing small lots,
sometimes all you can do you
can't make more. It's just
whatever groups are out there,
whatever we harvest and whether
it's the sparkling or those
small ones we get from farmers
like Cape Coast vineyards, where
we can only do 350 bottles.
That's all you got. So if each
feature member buys two bottles,
it's quickly gone. It's it's
getting close to the point where
it's happening. And we've we've
been growing it pretty quickly.
And as people start to taste the
wines and then see some of the
exclusives that they can't get
their hands on. They're like
maybe I should join in before
it's too late. So yeah, it's
exciting.
Rhys Waters: One of the perks of
membership is the pickup party,
which COVID is delayed,
Unknown: we haven't been able to
have any pickup parties the last
couple of years because of COVID
of course and restrictions and
numbers etc. We've had a couple
of modified where we've booked
times over the past I think the
last two. So this the 12 will be
our first actual official, grand
reopening pickup party. And so
we're really looking forward to
that. Yeah.
Rhys Waters: After nearly two
years of ownership and lock down
being the norm Cuttino family is
finally able to welcome the
biggest advocates. It's a chilly
Sunday afternoon with the
wineries buzzing with activity.
Carl: Excuse me. I'm not sure if
you guys can all hear me. My
voice carries as well in here as
as it would have many years ago
when this operated as a church.
I'm just going to take care have
a couple of minutes because I'm
trying to greet everybody as
they come in the door. And it's
been great to be able to see all
of you face to face. Thank you
so much for coming out today.
For those of you who haven't had
a chance to meet my name is Carl
Pitino and one of the owners
here with my parents, my brother
and my wife. We've got our
fearless staff and team, our
winemaker, Ben here, helping us
carry this through. But
honestly, happy holidays.
Cheers. Thanks for coming out,
have a great time.
Rhys Waters: For the winery,
this kind of relationship with
customers is vitally important.
It allows an open dialogue.
Carl: We've worked within the
rules to have events. But none
like this non like getting the
group together smiling faces it
just lined up perfectly with the
holidays. And this time of year
when you want to be with friends
and family. So no, it's been
absolutely perfect. But yeah,
it's well overdue. And that
seems to be the same vibe. I'm
picking up from all the
customers are coming in. And
it's great to hear and great to
see. It's a great way for people
who love our wines to get a
chance to come out, try them see
each other network the things
that people have all been
missing for about, you know, a
good part of two years with a
pandemic, and get to try the
wines. And so today, they all
get complimentary wine, they all
get complimentary food, they get
a chance to you know, touch chat
with the owners tell us what
they like and dislike what
they'd like to see different get
to meet the winemaker. And it
really just becomes it's it's a
really a novel group to be part
of. Some people have been part
of it for many years, some are
brand new, and some like it for
different reasons. Some get four
bottles of wine, and they stock
it away in a cellar, and some
get four bottles of wine and
they're empty by the time the
next four come in. Right. So
it's it all depends. And but it
also gives you those, those
customers that have been around
long enough that they can tell
you, Hey, I liked this vintage
it wasn't as good as maybe two
years ago. Or maybe they'll tell
you we really enjoyed such and
such a variety one year, can you
bring that wine back. And it
means not that it doesn't mean
anything when you hear from any
other customer. But when you
hear from a customer that's
buying, you know, minimum 16
bottles of wine from you, every
year that are in a different
either rosaes, or whites or
sparklings or reds or, you know,
if they're telling you hey, this
was good, can you bring that
back and become something that
we can take that Intel chat with
our winemaker, see what grapes
we can harvest and what else we
can create to keep our
membership happening. These are
critical events to our success.
Because it really you know,
these folks leave here
hopefully, with a lasting
impression of a well run
business run and you know, buy a
nice family and, and that one's
delicious. So at the end of the
day, they're getting what they
want, and they reconnect with us
every three months, we'd love to
have them, you know, more often
without any more interruptions
from our car.
Rhys Waters: Because they taste
the new wines and get to know
the family. The Wine Club guests
are more than happy to share
that love.
Unknown: And group of our
friends. We just I don't know,
we came here on a wine tour day
one day and like we went visited
for one reason, enjoyed it. I
think we came back a second time
and enjoyed some more security
and wine. And so I just thought,
you know what, I'm like the
wine.
I'm gonna treat myself enjoy it.
And I was always going along
with her and enjoying the wine.
And she said to me one day,
she's like, you buy quite a bit
of wine. Maybe you should think
about joining so yeah, good
idea. Yeah.
Well, in all honesty, there was
a wine that I want it that
wasn't available to the general
public. And it was unfortunately
sold out. But I was told that in
future releases, there might be
also something that was
something similar. So that's why
I actually do
I like the idea of supporting
the wine industry in Nova
Scotia, you know, and it's
pretty down here too. It's
really pretty drive. I stopped a
couple of balls that dropped her
drops of amber in a basket over
there. That's the last of so I'm
like Yes. Going to my stocking
this Christmas. This is so
welcoming
here. And we love the patio and
the little restaurant. So
beautiful to come and sit out
here and they have a nice menu,
but they change it up and add
something on a regular basis.
You know, of course, then
they'll post that online and you
see it and you think oh, we need
to go again.
I think is extremely important
and it feels really good. That
we can support local and that
the wineries that are popping up
in and around the area. You
know, it's like a mini Niagara
region and to continue to
support and grow the wineries in
the area in particular Avondale
sky, you know, it's, it's, it's
great spot, great facility
wines. Fantastic. We really
enjoy it.
The family like it. They're just
so friendly and welcoming and I
don't know we're just enjoy
coming here. There's twittery be
like that, like,
I know, it's like they they know
people's names in a very short
period of time and just makes
you feel, you know, makes you
feel welcome.
Well, I just met John yesterday,
she's a good friend and a good
friend of mine, and I'm new to
Nova Scotia. So I came out to
meet her, and she brought me
here, and I love the Sauvignon.
And then I was gonna base and
then I had to become a member.
So I did he, they are again, to
these two days.
So we decided, because all we
really knew about wine is Oh, I
like it, or I don't like it. We
thought perhaps it's time to
learn. Because truly, we're not
educated. So we are learning.
And it's wonderful. And, and
what it has done is like, why
don't we just bought a bottle of
wine was $75. We've never done
that in our life. I went from
not liking any rent, and just
suddenly advancing and now I
liked the new pour in the new
port reserve. And then I've
discovered that I really do like
the more expensive wines.
It's about, it's about the
tastes. And you really get
there's a specific flavor and
all the wine. And they're very
well balanced. And these are
mainly two reasons why we love
the one and why we became
members of the winery. But I
must also say that there's
another reason why we became
members of the club. It's after
these guys took the business
because we knew that the winery
before they took the business
but after they took the
business, they kind of transform
it into something more like a
community. And this is what I
like, like first time we first
time we came after they took the
business it was like they had a
new menu, new food very tasty
food, food, mainly coming from
different local businesses. And
I am I really enjoyed it. And
their father took us on a tour.
It was very, it was you know,
very simplistic kind of family.
And basically this all convinced
says it's okay, like we just
love the place. So let's become
members
Rhys Waters: and it's not just
club members here. Andre has a
vineyard near Mahone Bay, about
90 minutes away and supplies the
winery.
Unknown: Yeah, we're strictly
growers. So we don't have our
own winery. We do keep a few 100
pounds for ourselves just to
make our own amateur wine,
including your own carboy Sonia
blah. But, you know, we really
liked partnering with Avondale
sky because we're a very small
vineyard. And there are a
smallish winery, and very
informal, really nice. And when
we first started to think about
establishing a vineyard back in
2012, we had a few good tips and
pointers from Ben here and the
previous owners. And so they're
really, really nice, and the new
owners are really nice. So no,
it seems to be a match made in
heaven. There's a lot of work to
growing grapes in Nova Scotia. I
mean, while we do have a
suitable climate, we do have
suitable soils, you still have
to do a lot because this is
really a marginal area in terms
of it's a fairly cold growing
area. So we do have to put a
little bit more effort into
wrapping the fruit. So given the
amount of work that we put into
it to see it being appreciate it
is this phenomenal actually, it
really it really does make our
day
Rhys Waters: chef Tom was
excited to be called in to
create some special dishes to
pay with a wine.
Dominic: My name is Dominic
pedulla, and I'm here with food
fantastic. And I'm here today as
a collaboration with the other
sky winery and supplying a food
for the event for the wine club
event. So the theme of it was
like a musical like kind of like
just having like a Christmas
celebration to go with the wine.
So we pair like we had a meeting
and we come up with a venue that
was going to go well with the
wine so what we serve today was
a homemade gravlax Salman that
was marinated with local gin and
mustard local honey, sugar and
dill and salt so that was a
marinated for 48 hours like just
to get that nice status oh man,
and it was serving on the
homemade crostini with like dill
and capers and pickled red
onion. Then also we decided to
go with pachora and Some Indian
flavor to go with the with one
of the one that they had that
was really good. So we make like
homemade pachora with local root
vegetables. And then we had
local charcuterie from local
cheese and we finished with a
Italian appetizer that is a
Ecklund Ko, Ko kupuna. And it is
like a eggplant that is cooked
with tomato, celery caper olives
and just sort of cold nice and
it's not it's nice and acidic.
It is one always one of the fun
exercise is pairing the food
and, you know, because they have
the wine made and it's always
like a key let's not let's think
outside the box with the food
and what can we do outside the
box that like will complement
the wine and also open the ears
and the eyes of the people about
what can be done like, you know,
most people don't see that Paco,
right and wine or Indian food
and wine goes well together. And
yet like it was a perfect,
perfect pairing. So, as a chef,
it's like tasting the wine. It's
like what which buys and how to
spice up the food that it will
not be overpowering. So it's
always a nice challenge that
they enjoy.
Rhys Waters: For winemaker, Ben.
It's been a fun exercise.
Unknown: It's always fun working
with different chefs too,
because I mean, we've we've had
a few different chefs through in
the kitchen here and guest chefs
and caterers as well. And so
this is the first time I've
actually got to enjoy something
that the Dom's prepared
specifically for the wine club,
and he came out and met with
Shawn and myself just to chat
about, you know, what the wines
were, and he gets a taste
through the wines. And then, you
know, I really didn't, I didn't
have to give him too much
advice. He knows what he knows
what he's doing. Just you know,
a couple of warnings here,
they're like, oh, this I would
avoid these these particular
things. And but he uh, he had a
pretty clear vision of what what
he thought he would want to do
based on tasting through the the
four wines, so it's nice to see
it all come together. And once.
Once everybody's through here, I
look forward to tasting through
it myself.
Rhys Waters: And as soon as the
wine club got a chance to hang
out with Ben, they were
desperate to find out what's
next.
Unknown: A lot of the comments
are just sort of like, Oh, I
really liked this one or Oh,
like, I think I like this, which
is better or, and then a lot of
people are just curious, like,
what, what new and weird or
different things are coming like
what what have you got tucked
away down in the cellar, and I
don't, I don't like to talk too
much about it. Because you never
know how things are gonna turn
out sometimes. And that like
I've got quite a few things that
I think will be neat and
interesting. But I want to make
sure that I finish them off
proper first before I talk too
much about them.
Rhys Waters: As the bottles of
wine vanish and the sky club
members head home, it's time for
reflection.
Unknown: We're really pleased
with the turnout. Didn't expect
to see this many people come for
their pickup. But that has
really made our day. Superb, a
lot of good, good, I'd say good
75% of the people have come to
pick up their their wine with
start tremendous. Whenever
you're planning something like
this, you're never sure how much
to eat, you know, how much do
you plan for food, but it was an
open invitation to our members.
It's been long coming in two
years of Spartan pickups. This,
this makes up for it. If we can
keep our, you know, our
community engaged and happy and
participating in these events. I
hope they'll come out. And you
know, when they're thinking of
an afternoon or a weekend or
bringing friends over that they
think of us amongst others. I
mean, I there are some beautiful
wineries. Our sister wineries
are quite spectacular as well.
But we like to think that we've
got something to offer here in
terms of the scenery, the family
run business, just Yeah, well I
think we've got something
special
it was nice. They enjoyed the
food they enjoyed the wine they
enjoyed even seeing each other
because some of these sky club
members have been members for
quite some time. Some are newer
ones that have come in since
we've purchased the winery. So
it's been really nice for them
to see what it's like as well. I
get to put a face to a name
because otherwise, you know if
they didn't come in, it would
just be a name to me unless I
knew them personally so this way
it's really nice. I would think
it's a big success. I never like
to say 10 out of 10 But But 9.5
out of 10 is pretty good where
I'm concerned but I want to get
to the 10
Rhys Waters: the family know
that together they built
something really special.
Unknown: We're a boutique why?
Henry. And so, you know, right
now we produce about 5000 cases
a year. That's what we can
handle for our aerospace. I
think that is our niche. I think
people enjoy and appreciate the
boutique feel the history of the
church, and then our family now
and our story, you know, people
who come and see us so hands on
and see, for owners, I'm not
there as much as I'd like to be
because I'm here with my little
family. But I think people
really see that and really
appreciate that and really feel
that
Rhys Waters: the excitement and
passion comes from the knowledge
that the best is yet to come.
Unknown: You know, we had a tour
that came this summer from
Antigonish, we actually all
happen to be there that day, the
kids had set up a lemonade
stand, and they were selling
lemonade, and all the people
were coming in, they were like,
you know, you guys are the
sweetest little things. Shawn
was giving a, you know, giving
his guided tasting, Luna vieler
waiting the tables and Carl and
it was just it's just really
nice. And I think people really
appreciate that. And I think
especially after the last couple
of years that we've had just
just being close and having that
closeness with each other. And I
think that was Karl's big thing,
too, when we were buying this
was that, to have this, you
know, working towards this A, it
doesn't feel like work when you
love it, and be to have it to
know that it's gonna go to your
children, you know, that's it
makes it completely different
than just a regular job.
It was not even it was It wasn't
there was no concept of, of
being in any of any kind of
business. Here, my intention was
to sort of retire and do
something just mundane. I didn't
want to be sitting behind a
desk, I didn't want to be doing
any good, productive work. I
just wanted to do something
purely mundane. So hobby farm
came to mind, you know. And so
this is a farm. It's not a
hobby. It's it's definitely, but
I'm treating it as a hobby. It's
fun for me. Nevertheless,
the thing I'm most proud of, is
the skills that we all bring the
enthusiasm, the. And, of course,
my sons and daughters, and the
fact I get to see my
grandchildren, and I see them
looking to harvest in the
vineyard. I mean, that is so
beautiful to get kids that
excited about being in nature.
Carl: You know, the long term
plan is, you look at it as a
family run business now and we
continue to hope it always is a
family run business. And my kids
will you know, they love the
wonder they love going to the
winery and it daddy went from
being dressed up in suits and
ties when he was leaving and
that Dad Are you going to
Toronto? Are you going to a
meeting to I'm leaving in jeans?
And are you going to the winery,
I can be going anywhere leaving
the house, especially during the
last two years and like are you
going to the winery, you know
and and they want to come they
don't mind that it's a 40 minute
drive. They love getting there
they love seeing their family
when they're there they love
seeing vino Of course. And then
if you find that that bone in
your body that says you know
what, I want to learn business
or I want to learn marketing or
I want to learn event planning.
Those options are all
possibilities with us are right
into agriculture, right? Like
there's all kinds of cool things
that we're still learning every
day. So you know for us, you
know, we're building our future
every day.
Unknown: Thanks for listening
guys.
Shawn: Hope you enjoyed the
story and we look forward to
meeting you in person at the
winery.
Carl: If you'd like to follow us
on any of our social media
platforms, please visit us at
Avondale sky.com And we look
forward to sharing a glass with
you at beautiful Newport
landing.
Shawn: Cheers Cheers this has
been
Rhys Waters: a Podstarter
production