Outline

The initial outline I made for this story had to be scrapped. This is mainly because several of my sources flaked out, but other sources provided me with information that I hadn't thought about using before.

I wanted to have the story build upon Barbara and Joel's decision to finally open up their own winery with the first batch being the climax. The story turned out very differently, but I like the way it's changed. I know this was by no means supposed to be an inverted pyramid type piece and although the story opens with the conflict I think the sense of humility does not come out until much later in the story.

The first outline was not at all a waste either. I initially wrote the story based on that outline and it was from there that I began to dissect my paper and swap the pieces all around.

The ending is not what I hoped it would be (as it ends pretty abruptly) and if I had more time I would have liked to give the story a more optimistic feel in the closing paragraphs.

A Recipe and a Dream...

Dreams are not always easy to follow. As sad as that is to say, people tend to always have some conflict, be it financial issues or just sheer improbability of success, which prevents them from ever getting the opportunity to fulfill their ambitions. However, for a couple in Belpre, Ohio, nothing was going to stand in their path of turning a longtime dream into a tangible reality.

In March 2009, Barbara and Joel Whitaker opened the Unicorn Wine Guild. The couple had been talking about opening their own winery for years, but it wasn’t until recently that all the pieces fell into place and the opportunity came knocking. After traveling to many vineyards and sampling wines from all over the world, the couple decided that it was their turn to give something back to the world of wine.

“Both of us are very passionate about wine,” says Joel. “Ever since our honeymoon, which was at a vineyard, we’ve been itching to eventually produce our own wine.”

The couple has spent the last few years trying to figure out what they want to do when they retire. Joel is currently a dentist while his wife, Barbara, works as a nurse anesthetist, but the two always felt that they wanted to do more once they retired from their jobs.

Opening a winery has always been a topic lingering around Joel’s mind and his wife’s always been supportive of the idea, but it just never seemed plausible. As the economy began to fall, the dream of owning a winery seemed to be slipping further and further away from them.

“We knew what we wanted to do…but our goal seemed unthinkable with the way things were going,” says Joel. “I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to retire, let alone start up my own business!”

So, how did a collapsing economy and a fading dream eventually blossom into a business? Well, it all started with a gift.

The whole process began one Christmas several years ago when the couple was given the supplies needed to make their own wine. One three-gallon carboy, one fermenting pale and a list of ingredients turned out to be the best gift that Joel Whitaker ever received.

“My nephew would always give us books on wine, or wine appreciation guides, and then one Christmas he gave us these things that I hardly knew what to do with, and said ‘go ahead, now you can make your own wine’,” says Joel. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I appreciated it and everything but I had always been slightly hesitant about making my own wine.”

Joel admits that he had a basic idea of the winemaking process, but had never actually tried to make wine himself; he had only seen it done before at the various vineyards and wineries.

“Let me note, I didn’t have an actual winemaking kit when I first started,” says Joel. “I had a wine recipe.”

That proved to be all he needed.

Despite knowing little about the winemaking procedure, Joel says that the first batch he ever made turned out to be quite delectable. So good, in fact, that he bottled some of it up and gave it away to friends as gifts.

The wine turned out to be very popular amongst the people who tried it and it wasn’t long before people started asking when the next batch was to be ready. Some of Joel’s friends even asked if he had any spare bottles that he would be willing to sell.

“When I heard that my friends actually enjoyed the wine I made, that’s when I began thinking that this could be more than just a simple hobby.”

It was on this day that Joel and Barbara Whitaker decided to do something bold. Some might even call their decision crazy or irrational, trying to start a business in a crumbling economy and in such a small town, but this couple had the courage to take a long shot at an improbable goal, which is a lot more than most people can say.

“We had been saving up for two things, retirement and a new car,” says Barbara. “But Joel wanted to take a chance and try to make it out there in the world. I know that some people in this town think I’m mad to agree with him, but you know, I couldn’t be any prouder of our final decision.”

But like any business in the making, it needs to be associated with a name. This name and logo could be the driving force which takes this business from small town winery to mass vineyard, supplying the world with only the finest of wines.

So, why unicorns? Well, it’s a mixture of Joel’s first effort at making wine and Barbara’s childhood infatuation.

-Image courtesy of www.unicornwineguild.com

As a child, Barbara Whitaker always loved unicorns. She grew up on a farm and was constantly surrounded by horses, but it was the aspect of fantasy that attracted her to the mystical creature. Her love for unicorns eventually proved to be an instrumental part in helping the couples wine find its’ own identity.

“When we were first starting out, the wine would always overflow and get all over my kitchen,” says Barbara. “We eventually decided to put the carboys in the bathtub so that if they did happen to flood, they could easily drain out.”

Because of the wine’s hue, the couple frequently referred to the wine as “unicorn blood”. They both chuckled as they explained this because they added that another reason why the wine was deemed with such a somber and mystical name was because that first batch was “oh, so magical.”

Though initially just a joke, the name stuck around and that’s how the couple came up with the name of their business. But even a clever name cannot always suffice for a dead-end location.

The story continues with the town of Belpre. With fewer than 7,000 residents, Belpre is a small town, very small in fact, and not exactly the ideal location to open up a winery. There is a single main strip that fosters most of the commercial stores and restaurants in the area and that is about the extent of the town. While the people are lively, everybody still knows everybody in this town and for an up-and-coming business that does not always spell success.

“We hoped various residents of the area would come in, maybe sample some wines and then hopefully be swayed enough to tell their friends and neighbors about us,” says Barbara. “But it’s tough. While we love the customers we have, we do not get to see too many new faces.”

The couple admits that business has not been what they have hoped so far but are optimistic for the future. Barbara has just created a website and is even using various forms of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, to help get the name out to the masses.

The couple has even aspired to make the winery unlike any other that people have ever been to.

Located at 1816 Washington Boulevard (right across from the Hardee’s), the establishment itself is very different from the conventional winery. Set-up inside an old drug store, the neutral colors and homelike features (i.e. couches, coffee tables, even an aquarium) make the Unicorn Wine Guild seem more like someone’s house than a wine manufactory. It’s a very comforting setting and if you just so happen to sit down in Joel’s recliner, you’ll seldom image going anywhere else for wine.

-A shelf displaying several of the wines produced

at the Unicorn Wine Guild

“We want our customers to be very comfortable as soon as they walk in,” says Barbara. “We’re hoping that in the future we can build a conference room so that people can come in for meetings.”

Inside this old drugstore, the couple produces all of their own wines and they even teach courses on how to create homemade wine.

This is how the idea to create the wine guild began. A little inspiration from some friends and some self-determination was all the couple needed to proceed down the path to their dream.

But, like any good triumph, bitter conflict and defeat is constantly nagging around, just biting at the heels.

Barbara says that the hardest part about starting the business for her was finding a reasonable location to open up.

“We looked everywhere in and around Belpre,” she said. “I could tell you any vacancy in the area and exactly how much it cost.”

But finding an empty lot to place their business into wasn’t their only problem

It was actually illegal to sell alcohol in Belpre up until November. Voters in Belpre nearly always split the votes on this topic of alcohol sales, says Joel, however, keeping Belpre dry as opposed to wet would always win by the margin of a single vote or two.

“It was really one of the most interesting issues I’ve ever seen,” says Barbara. “The votes were always so close, yet staying dry would always win just by a hair.”

Come November the people of Belpre voted again and, this time, the vote won to convert Belpre to a wet county. For the first time since prohibition began in 1920, it was legal to sell alcohol within the town.

Joel says he thinks it’s great that the vote finally passed. A sign that reads, “It’s good to see Belpre has joined the rest of the 21^st century,” hangs upon the windowsill.

But, wait. The Unicorn Wine Guild has been selling its’ wine since they opened in March, that’s nearly eight months before it was legal to sell alcohol in Belpre. The reason why Barbara and Joel were able to maintain their business before November is because their business permits them to be labeled as a manufactory.

According to Belpre Area Chamber of Commerce president Teresa Turner, manufactories in Belpre are allowed to sell alcohol within a commercial zone under the condition that they produce all of the alcohol themselves within the establishment.

Knowing this, Joel thought that it would be a great idea to set up several winemaking stations, not only to make wine to sell to customers, but also so that customers can come in and make their own wine.

“It was actually my wife’s idea to come in here and take a shot at making some wine,” says David Mallitz. “We just finished making a merlot and are currently waiting for our pinot grigio to ferment.”

- Several of the winemaking stations.

Mallitz is one of many people excited about the wine that they’ve been able to create here.

“We really had no idea just how many people would be interested in making there own wine,” says Joel. “But as more people began showing up, we knew that we had to start setting up more stations.”

While Joel and Barbara teach the patrons how to make their own wine, they say that it is completely up to the customer how much involvement they want to have in the process.

“There is only one stipulation that we cannot help our patrons with,” says Barbara. “The customers are only allowed to take their finished product home if they sprinkle the yeast in themselves. It’s a legal requirement in all dry counties.”

While anyone can go in and make their own wine, it’s Joel and Barbara who have perfected the craft. Belpre is not exactly an ideal location to grow grapes so Joel has been utilizing a very alterative to keep the wine a-flowin’.

Most vineyards are willing to sell off the juices that they produce to smaller wineries for a profit. So, smaller wineries are able to buy gallon jugs in bulk of the certain grape juices that they wish to make the wine out of.

According to Douglas Moorhead, president of Moorhead Vineyards Inc, a gallon of juice can cost anywhere between $4 and $8 per gallon, depending on the grape.

Joel says that he buys juices from all over the world to try out for his wines.

“We use juices here from France, Italy, Napa Valley, you name it. A lot of the time it just depends on what’s in season.”

So, still a work in progress, but the Unicorn Wine Guild is bringing more life into the small town of Belpre, Ohio. This couple took a risk. Despite the somber times, they reached out and made their own dream a reality.

“Just like a fine wine,” says Joel. “Our business can only get better with time.”

Sources

This is a list of potential sources that I hope to obtain some information from for my final assignment.

* Joel Whitaker

-Owner of the Unicorn Wine Guild, the only winery (or establishment that sells any kind of alcohol at all) within Belpre Ohio. They manufacture all of their own wine from scratch.

(740) 423-1300

* Barbara Whitaker

-Co-Owner and founder of the Unicorn Wine Guild. Barbara is Joel's wife and the two have decided to follow their dreams and open their own winery.

(740) 423-1300

* Joel and Barbara's Nephew

- He was the one who gave the couple their first wine kit one Christmas. Little did he know the kit would one day blossom into a business of it's own.

* Susan Abdella

- Susan is a Councilwoman in the city of Belpre. She is in charge of zoning, which just happened to be one of Joel and Barbara's most difficult tasks when trying to form the business. Belpre is a dry area, so the areas where alcohol can be sold are extremely limited.

mem.at.large3@cityofbelpre.com

*Teresa Turner

- Teresa is the Chamber of Commerce president within Belpre and it was ultimately her decision that the Whitaker's establishment was even allowed to open in the first place.

(740) 423-7592

Assignment # 2

The second wine story for this blog is set to feature a more professional take on the wine making process. Unfortunately, upon contacting the Athens DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Shop, I found out that the next wine making demonstration is not until mid-March.

While somewhat disappointed with this news, I still plan to interview Eric Hedin, owner of the Athens DIY shop and avid member of the Ohio University Brew Crew. I'm hoping that Hedin can provide me with a deeper understanding of the amount of wine manufacturing that goes on in Athens.

I also have lined up an interview with Bella Vino owner Lili Chandler. I'm hoping that Chandler can give me a better understanding of how wine is appreciated here in Athens. I also hope to find out if the bootlegging process has done any damage to her own business.

Finally, I've contacted Matt Mullins, spokesman for the Ohio Division of Liquor Control. With his help I hope to learn more about the recent legislation that allows liquor and wine to be sold earlier in the day.

Like a Locomotive...

My writing style has just recently gone through some major changes. I've always been an avid "write a line, read it, make a few changes and then move onto the next line" kind of writer. Just last quarter I've begun trying something new; and that's the technique I used for this particular piece.

As I gathered all of my information and organized it around my desk, I sat down, found a few quotes that I enjoyed and took off from there. This new found writing style involves finding a few things to start with and then just start writing, with no stops for editing purposes. Much like a train, I started writing and had no intentions of stopping until I was satisfied. I just started spewing out everything I could, then moving onto the next line without taking time to really read what I had just written. This has proven to be very effective for me. I start writing everything I can and there's no sign of stopping until this train runs out of coal or just derails entirely.

After I've regurgitated everything that I can onto my blank document it's only then that I begin to go back and edit what I have written. I find this technique very therapeutic as I write almost subconsciously. This technique is new to me, but i enjoy it.

I was a little pressed for time with this last piece and I now realize that I need to spend much more time editing. It travels through glimpses of passive and active voice and I will note to spend more time editing on my next piece.

Dorm Room Wineries

As I stepped into the dorm room of resident assistant Tyler Sutherland, he kindly offered me a sample of his latest product. He walked over to a large, orange container that featured a spigot that allowed for easy dispensing, filled a coffee mug and handed it over to me. My lips puckered as I consumed my first sip of what he called his more “fruity batch,” and did my best to determine the contents that made up this particular batch of wine.

This was unlike any wine I had ever had before. It featured a dark, luscious red hue and tasted like a combination of red wine and sour raspberries. It was good though, in a “wow, this was manufactured in a dorm room” kind of way. Sutherland chose to use grape juice for this particular batch but added that any fruit juice will work, as long as it’s not a citrus juice. “Yeah, I probably should have warned you before you took a sip of that. This is one of my stronger batches,” laughed Sutherland.

His homemade wine is kept and stored in a jug that slightly resembles the orange Gatorade coolers you may see on the sidelines of sporting events; except this particular jug lacks the Gatorade logo and looks as if it were made 20 years before Gatorade even existed. It’s a ceramic jug and looks as brittle as the bones of the person that seems to have constructed it at least 80 years prior, but it works as a perfect container for wine.

Sutherland admitted that he has a well-equipped setup in his dorm room, a luxury that most college students don’t have. As he walks into the bathroom, located within his own dorm (one of the perks of being an RA), he goes to check on his latest batch. I put my mug down and follow him into the bathroom to get my first glimpse of the winemaking process. As he pulls back his wizard-slaying-a-dragon shower curtain, therein lies what appears to simply be just a gallon milk jug filled with apple cider. The jug also featured a balloon rubber banded around the top of it. I was confused, but he assured me that this was the soon-to-be wine.

While there are many different techniques that can be applied to winemaking, Sutherland described this one as “pretty hoboish”. He continued by clarifying that this particular process involved simply adding a few ingredients to an empty milk jug and then waiting for the results. “You just add yeast, sugar, grape juice and some water,” grinned Sutherland as he put the jug down and looked back up at me. “Then, it’s basically autopilot from there on out.”

Sutherland described that the balloon attached to the top worked as his own personal timer. “The balloon on top will eventually expand and then once it has deflated completely, the wine will be good to go.” The sugars eventually become alcohol and within about two weeks, the wine is ready for ingestion.

While he stated that his winemaking hobby is more for recreational purposes, the cost of production is another key factor in his enjoyment of the process. Most college students don’t have the money to buy all the drinks they may wish to consume, so this has proved to be a very economically-beneficial alternative for him. He said that it only costs him about 75 cents to produce a gallon of wine. “That’s a deal you’re simply not going to be able to beat around here.”

As we were sitting in the comfort of his dorm room, a knock on the door signaled that Tyler had a customer that he was expecting. While not much of a distributor himself, Sutherland has several steady patrons whom he allocates his wine to. The young, eager consumer at the door was James Roh, a talented student studying photojournalism at Ohio University. It was obvious upon entering the room that Roh was no random customer. The two gleefully greeted, and while Roh served the role of the customer and Sutherland the supplier, it was evident that there was a level of trust between them. These two were friends, not clients.

Roh came to the dorm with intentions to purchase some of the raspberry-tasting creation that Sutherland generously offered me earlier when I entered his dorm room. After an elongated, mutual laughing session at his uniquely designed shower curtain, Sutherland filled an empty bottle, topped it with a cap then handed it to his customer. He assumed that he would just give his friend the bottle free of charge until Roh insisted that he at least take something. Roh reached into his pocket and convinced Sutherland to take its contents as compensation for the wine. Two dollars and sixty cents, the transaction cost Roh a mere two dollars and sixty cents for the bottle.

“It’s not about the money,” said Tyler. “I just enjoy making the wine, and if people are willing to consume it, you take pride in that.” Sutherland wasn’t the only one who was proud of his wine. Roh admitted that he too took pride in supporting the idea of self-concocted wine.

Roh said that people are always very intrigued when he offers them a taste of the homemade wine. While not the most common drink at parties, the homemade wine always seems to ferment some level of interest from those who are unfamiliar with it. “People are fascinated when they try it and find out it’s not terrible. Especially when I throw in the fact that it was made in the comfort of a college dorm room,” laughed Roh.

While some might think of this transaction as shady or suspicious, this was nothing more than a friendly exchange between pals. Witnessing the whole situation seemed more like a stamp collector showing off his collection to another appreciator of stamps; it was just two friends sharing a common hobby. Sutherland’s employers would more than likely not be fond of the transaction, but there was nothing illicit about it. These two are neither bootleggers nor are they alcoholics, just two friends with economically and aesthetically-savvy minds. This is a unique pastime and Athens should be proud to foster these young connoisseurs.

A Toast to the Beginning...

Whether of age or not, residents here in Athens have proceeded to manufacture their own wine. Even freshman are beginning to produce their own wine within their Ohio University dorm rooms.

The purpose of this blog is to take a deeper look into the wine that is bootlegged and distributed right here in Athens, Ohio. So while "bootlegging" may not be the best term to use for the entire blog's subject matter, seeing as some people make their own wine out of hobby and have no means of distributing it, some people have found it to be a possible business proposition.

While some may see this process as just some dangerous plot for underage citizens to obtain alcohol, others see winemaking as an art. It doesn't take a whole lot of effort (or money) to produce, but making quality wine is a difficult task to master.

Over the next few weeks, this blog will serve as inside look into the wine-making process. Questions such as "How does one begin the process?", "Are there any potential risks when making the wine, and if so, what?", "How long does the process take?", "How much money are people making from selling their homemade wine?", etc, will all be answered.

I hope to be able to interview a wide range of people and I'll provide the best insight I can concerning this particular topic.