WWMD – What would Margaret drink? Margaret Pearman is a certified sommelier under the Court of Master Sommeliers and curates the award-winning wine list at Charlie’s Coastal Bistro. Here is her sipping suggestion for April:

Hanatoro Cabernet Sauvignon

A few years back, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kevin Bozado of Hanatoro Winery. He was touring the South, introducing his family’s Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla Valley, Washington. Even though the winery was far away, his roots had grown much closer to our local area. As the Senior Director of Club and Hospitality at Augusta National, Kevin has climbed the ladder of the hospitality industry, dedicated to delivering excellence. He found a great mentor in his stepfather, Steve Thomson, who has managed some of Oregon’s most prestigious wineries. Thomson has served as CEO of Cristom Vineyards since 2015 and was previously the Executive Vice President of King Estate from 1999 to 2015. It seemed only natural for the family to create their own wine.

With strong connections in the wine industry, Steve Thomson and his wife, Karen, invested in a vineyard project in 2004. The site was planted on a steep slope at 1,300 feet in elevation, featuring a unique microclimate characterized by cool winds and ancient basalt covered in volcanic loess soil. These conditions are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. In 2010 Steve asked Kevin to partner with him to create Hanatoro. The name originates from a festival held in the ancient city of Kyoto, Japan, meaning “the path of light and flowers.” It celebrates heritage, craftsmanship, community, beauty and honor. The Thomsons have become regular visitors of the festival over the years. They are committed to crafting a single bottling of the best grapes produced from the site each year, meaning the blend differs from vintage to vintage.

As members of the hospitality community, the Thomsons have focused distribution on high-end restaurants, resorts, private clubs and particularly the golf community. I regularly have the pleasure of seeing the Thomsons at Charlie’s, as they are part-time residents of our area. So as we celebrate our community’s gathering at the RBC Heritage golf tournament, it would only be fitting to open a bottle of Hanatoro and toast to the tradition we have created for our island.