With Veteran’s Day falling on Sunday, November 11 this year, my thoughts for wine turned to wineries started or run by veterans. I couldn’t think of any in the Hudson Valley, off-hand, and a Google search didn’t help. I did find an article from Wine Enthusiast magazine that listed several veteran-run wineries on the West Coast. They are all inspiring. Tackitt Family Vineyards is one of them. It’s in Paso Robles, where Leon Tackitt’s grandfather had planted Gewurtztraminer vines from Germany back in the 1970s. When he retired from his career in the U.S. Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), Leon and his wife Cindy decided to take the vineyard to the next level. That was in 2007. Theirs is a small family-run winery where they invite you to “come out and talk with the winemaker, enjoy our boutique wines, throw a ball for the dogs, and relax in our country setting.” Their 2021 Gewurtztraminer won a Gold Medal at this year’s Monterey International Wine Festival!! The Tackitts established EOD Cellars to provide donations to organizations that support the EOD community.
Learn more about Tackitts and other wineries started and run by veterans at this link: Serving Those Who Served: Six Veteran-Owned Wine Brands Across the U.S. | Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
