919 | UPFRONT
Friendships
FORGING NEW
CLOER FAMILY BELIEVES WINE IS BEST WHEN SHARED WITH FAMILY…AND WITH FRIENDS By JANIS JAMES
A
t Cloer Family Vineyards, “Wine is Best When Shared With Family and Friends” is not just a marketing slogan – it’s real. Started in 2010 by Tam and Pam Cloer, the winery – located on an 18-acre second-generation working farm in Apex – features five varieties of wines produced on-site, plus tastings, tours, and private events. But this unique treasure in the 919 had humble beginnings. “Tam, who graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Horticulture, developed an interest in winemaking as a young man when he befriended an elderly neighbor with a penchant for home winemaking,” said Pam, noting that her husband worked full-time with the family’s decades-old residential and commercial nursery and landscaping operations, Cloer Nursery. “For years, Tam visited this neighbor’s basement winery and worked by his side learning the basics. After the neighbor passed away and bequeathed all of his winemaking equipment to Tam, he officially adopted the art as a hobby.”
Photo by Kelsey Knight on Unsplash 20
www.919Magazine.com
Winter 2021
