Wine and drive?

Fort Worth Cadillac dealership lures in oenophiles with high-end wine bar andretail shop

Cadillac Wines, located within the Frank Kent Cadillac dealership in Fort Worth,carries about 300 labels.

Cadillac Wines/Facebook
During tastings, wines are poured into a Cadillac Wines Riedel glass, whichguests can take home.

Cadillac Wines/Facebook
During a recent Opus One tasting, Cadillac Wines sold 61 cases in 45 minutes.

Cadillac Wines/Facebook

When I received the invitation to visit the new wine room at the Frank Kent Cadillac dealership, it stopped me in my tracks. A dealership using wine to drive car sales in an anti-drinking and driving culture? Time to investigate.

I was picked up in a Cadillac Escalade and taken to Fort Worth to meet with Brad Kimura, wine director and advisor for Cadillac Wines. I walked into a small room that looked like a personal cellar with more than 300 different wines on the shelf.

A quick walk yielded labels of Cristal, Sea Smoke, Opus One, Shafer, Nickel & Nickel, Palmaz and many others. Cadillac Wines will also carry private-label wines by well-known winemakers like Jess Jackson after receiving label approval. This retail wine store aspires to have the best pricing on high-end, boutique wines in Dallas-Fort Worth.

During a recent tasting event, Cadillac Wines sold 61 cases of Opus One in 45 minutes.

Tasting events have included Opus One, the select Napa Valley red wine produced in part by U.S. winemaker Robert Mondavi and Baroness Philippine de Rothschild — daughter of the famous French vintner. Cadillac Wines received 65 cases of Opus One, which has an average bottle price of $225, and sold 61 cases in 45 minutes. During these tastings, wines are poured into a Cadillac Wines Riedel glass, which guests get to take home when they pay for a tasting or buy a bottle.

As for the drinking-and-driving issue, it becomes a moot point, as the wine shop will never sell more than five to six ounces total per guest. The goal is to let you taste first to figure out what you like and then you can purchase a bottle to take home.

The wine bar has eight wines on tap. I tried the Jordan 2010 Chardonnay, de Rothschild Lafite Collection 2009 Pauillac, Opus One 2009 and Robert Mondavi Reserve 2009. During my tasting, Nancy and Billy Prichard, who were in the process of buying a car, walked into the shop. In about 20 minutes, Kimura masterfully walked them through a number of wines that two people with very different palates would enjoy. The couple left with three wines.

Kimura talked about the reasons that Frank Kent Cadillac is taking this unique approach. “It’s like Vegas,” he said. “You have to go through the showroom to get to the wine store and you see the Cadillac inventory.

“Cadillac Wines is just another amenity to serve the Cadillac customer who enjoys fine wines. These customers expect to be pampered with great service and provided with the best product and selection they can get for their money.”

This was one of the most unique wine shopping experiences I had in 2012. Only time will tell if selling wine will drive automobile sales by luring in new customers.

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Cadillac Wines is open Monday-Friday, 10 am-7 pm, and Saturday, 10 am-5 pm. A 10 percent discount is applied for six or more bottles. Orders within a 15-mile radius, and over $300, are delivered in a Cadillac.

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a family friendly destination

Family-owned whiskey distillery opening in the Texas Hill Country

Photo by Hayden Walker

Briggs Distilling Co. will open its doors on October 17.

A new family-owned distillery is joining the vast landscape of breweries, wineries, and other spirit-makers in the Texas Hill Country. Briggs Distilling Co. will start serving cocktails, mocktails, and more at its spacious facility at 121 Brownson Ln. in Driftwood on Saturday, October 17.

The 9,000-square-foot distillery is owned and operated by the Briggs family. It was founded by R.S. Briggs with longtime family friend Davis Tucker serving as its president. Master distiller Colton Weinstein is in charge of production and distilling operations.

The distillery has developed three expressions for whiskey drinkers to try neat or in a cocktail. Each is made with Texas rainwater and bottled on-site. From a press release, look out for the following flavor profiles:

Straight Rye Whiskey: spice and bright herbs with lingering sherry notes to finish
Heritage Reserve Bourbon: caramel, candy, and leather notes with hints of spice and cherry and a medium finish
Wheated Bourbon: described as "sweet and fruity, with tobacco notes that coat the mouth and a medium-short finish"

Briggs Distilling Co. whiskey and bourbon products Patrons can buy a bottle of Briggs whiskey or bourbon on-site to take home. Photo by Hayden Walker

The spirits will be available to try in individual tastings ($10 each) and flights ($15), as well as draft, frozen, and house cocktails priced from $10-$14 each.

Briggs Distilling will also serve mocktails, a frozen Texas Two-Step (lime, orange, and house cane syrup with a choice of strawberry, mango, coconut, or passion fruit), and other non-alcoholic options like soda, ginger beer, and coffee from neighboring Driftwood café Sonder Coffee Lounge.

Beyond the whiskey-making operations and the tasting room, the property will feature a treehouse-inspired children's area, family- and dog-friendly amenities, and an on-site food truck. Live music from local musicians will also be a regular occurrence on Fridays and Saturdays.

Above all, the Hill Country distillery is envisioned as a "community gathering place" that aims to make all visitors feel at home.

"For generations, this part of Texas has brought people together around good food and conversation under wide-open skies," R.S. Briggs said in the release. "We wanted Briggs Distilling to carry that spirit forward while adding one crucial component: good whiskey."

Briggs Distilling Co. interior The distillery was designed by Texas-based M. Elliott Studio with contemporary furniture that visitors can rearrange as they see fit for their gatherings.Photo by Hayden Walker

Briggs Distilling will host community events throughout the year, engage in sustainability initiatives such as recycling bottles through local businesses, and pursue additional giveback opportunities to demonstrate a commitment to the Hill Country area.

Bailey Briggs, R.S.'s daughter and vice president of marketing, said the land the distillery stands on has been in their family for generations, and their "family-first philosophy" is the heart of their business.

"Briggs Distilling was born from family and built for families," Bailey said in a release. "For more than twenty years, our family has called the Texas Hill Country home, spending holidays, birthdays, and long summer days on the river together. Those memories shaped our lives and inspired us to create a place where other families could make their own."

Following the grand opening on October 17, Briggs Distilling Co. will be open from 4-10 pm Wednesdays through Thursdays, 11 am-10 pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 am-7 pm Sundays. Happy hour will run from 3-6 pm Wednesdays through Fridays. Kid-friendly specials will also be offered on Sundays.

Photo by Hayden Walker

Briggs Distilling Co. will open its doors on October 17.

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