A.J. Foyt Family accelerates in the winery race
FROM INDYCARS TO CABS BY RACHEL D. RUSSELL AND CHI SHERMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER L. RUBENSTEIN
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he cool interior of the Foyt Wine Vault welcomes visitors as soon as they walk through the door. Barstools bound in smooth, dark leather, complemented by brick walls and hardwood floors, give the room an elegant feel. Bottles of Foyt Family Wine are featured throughout, along with photos of racing legend A.J. Foyt, including a photo wall creating a timeline from the 1930s to today of the four-time Indy 500 winner and the actual IndyCar he raced in 1993. A small room to the side of a merchandise area awaits a family gathering, perhaps to taste wine or enjoy a meal around a long table while seated on plush, cream-colored chairs. The vault, located in Speedway, is the business venture of Larry Foyt and A.J. Foyt IV (also known as AJ4), grandsons of the champ. Open since May 2015, the vault was built “to showcase Foyt Family Wines and give appreciation to A.J. Foyt, his career and what he did for our careers,” AJ4 says. “Lots of people know the man behind the wheel of the race car, but he’s got a gentle heart. He’s the funniest guy I’ve ever met, for sure.” The business began in 2008 with the opening of Foyt Family Wines. Larry Foyt and AJ4, ages 39 and 32, respectively, had both been involved in racing, competing in the Indy 500 and NASCAR events. The cousins were 40
edible INDY winter 2016
getting out of racing at the same time and, according to AJ4, they have always been very close and they wanted to continue with a new adventure together. “We wanted to show we were making good wines right away,” he says. “We started slowly, using our resources and minds to make things happen.” The duo teamed up with co-owner Chris Perry, who works for the business full time in Sonoma, California, where all of the family’s grapes are grown and made into wine. The owners meet in California from time to time to watch wines being mixed and, of course, stick around for tastings. “It’s a fun process to get to learn,” AJ4 says, marveling a bit at how much a wine can change between its creation and bottling. “Making the wine doesn’t ever stop,” he says, referencing Perry and how he monitors trends and ventures the Foyt family might want to explore. As a race car driver, AJ4 was focused on driving, not business. Being a small-business owner has helped him grow and learn. He looks at business ownership differently now that he has firsthand experience. “I’ve learned a lot in a short period of time,” he says. “I always have ideas about increasing the ‘wow’ factor. We definitely listen to what our customers want.”
