Laurie Jervis: One Year After Leasing Curtis Vineyard, Andrew Murray Excited About Future

By Laurie Jervis, Noozhawk Columnist | @NoozhawkNews | Published on 01.28.2015 12:00 p.m.

Five days into 2015, I joined Andrew Murray at a table under gnarled oak trees outside his new tasting room at the former Curtis Winery on Foxen Canyon Road.

The day was warm, and the winerys semi-feral cat, christened Curtis by Murray and his staff, lounged at our feet, soaking up the winter sun.

One year has passed since Murray and his wife, Kristin, finalized a lease agreement with the Firestone family, one that would give the Murrays responsibility for the 100-acre Curtis estate vineyard, winery and the adjacent tasting room, all on Foxen Canyon Road.

The original tasting room for Murrays wine label, Andrew Murray Vineyards, is located in downtown Los Olivos, and the Murrays are absolutely keeping that site as well, he said.

After selling its Firestone Vineyard brand and 300-acre estate vineyard to Foley Wine Estates in 2007, the Firestone family kept Firestone Walker Brewing Company and the Buellton restaurant Rock Hollow Vineyard on Ballard Canyon Road and Curtis Winery, named after Brooks Firestones mother, Polly Curtis Firestone.

By 2013, with the beer label consuming most of the familys time and energy, Adam Firestone approached Murray with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity the chance to lease the vineyard, winery and tasting room.

As part of the deal, Murray would be responsible for the tasting room, and overseeing the production of both the Curtis and Jarhead labels for the Firestone family. He could use the vineyards various Rhne grape varietals for his Andrew Murray Vineyards label, and the other grapes would go toward wines for the Jarhead and Curtis labels.

In January 2014, I emailed Murray to arrange an interview about the transaction, but between our schedule conflicts and his desire to let the dust settle in the wake of the lease, an entire year passed.

So early this year, under the oaks, Murray reflected on how 2014 was the year of transition, with command gradually shifting from the Firestone family and Curtis, and its employees, to Andrew Murray Vineyards and his staff.

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Laurie Jervis: One Year After Leasing Curtis Vineyard, Andrew Murray Excited About Future