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The Sky’s the Limit at Akash Winery & !$"& " %# Akash means “sky� in Hindi and is also the name of 29-year-old Akash Patel, who along with his parents, Ray and Nalini Patel, founded this amazing winery. It’s the perfect name for this spacious winery property which emerged out of the vision and passion of the entrepreneurial Patel family. It’s no wonder the motto of the winery $! & $ % &$" & %"$ & $ ! & "% $ %# is “The sky’s the limit.� After leaving Africa and eventually moving to Vancouver, the Patels were drawn to America where they settled in a small town in New Mexico. Through hard work and determination, they came to own 15 motels in the area, three of which the family still owns and operates. When Akash, who manages the winery on a day-to-day basis, talks animatedly about how much he learned from his parents, his admiration of them is heart-warming and inspiring. He talks about how whenever his parents ran into a challenge, such as when his father was evicted from Uganda by the despot Idi Amin, they pulled themselves up and moved forward with hope and confidence. Akash emphasizes that his parents wanted to live the American dream and Akash Winery is part of that dream. After establishing their hospitality business in New Mexico, in 1998 the Patel fam-
$ & %% %" %$ & #% $#% $# %# %& $# !&$#% % %#% & & #$ " & % # &$ $ %# " & $" & "& % % $ ily bought a vacation home in Anaheim and fell in love with Southern California, where they also wanted to establish a business. Friends told them about the small but growing town of Temecula and they started looking around the area for a motel to purchase; however, once they saw that Temecula encompassed a burgeoning wine country, they set their sights on building a winery. Akash recalls that his father put a photo of a winery on their living room wall. It was a vision board for their future dreams. It took about nine years, but they eventually found their current parcel of 20 acres on Calle Contento, which at the time was just bare land with hills, weeds, and of course dirt. Even though they had no idea how to farm, they learned quickly. Akash said “My Dad taught me to always be a student.� So, they graded the property, added a water line, and hired a knowledgeable consultant to help them decide what grapes to plant and how to do it. Their grape plants came from European clones. They initially planted Sauvignon Blanc, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. In 2014, they started harvesting and making wine. Just two years ago they also planted Cabernet Franc. All the wine they produce and sell out of their tasting room is estate grown and produced in their onsite production facility. Akash Winery’s winemaker is Renato Sais, a personable and knowledgeable winemaker who started making wine with his father in the Guadalupe Valley and then moved to Sonoma and Napa. Renato has been key in the success of the winery since, as Akash emphasizes, the winery’s major priority is producing excellent wine. They started out with a small barn where they poured wine, but the current spacious building housing the tasting room and production facilities was just completed a few months ago. I was there the day of their gala grand opening and the winery was hopping with excited guests enjoying delicious wine in such a relaxing hospitable setting.
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Their tasting room is what Akash describes as “contemporary Tuscan.â€? It is spacious, open, and welcoming with a “modern farmhouse vibe,â€? high ceilings, and stunning art adding vibrancy to the dĂŠcor. The winery already has a growing reputation for being a wonderful asset to the Temecula Valley Wine Country, not only because of its exceptional wines but because of its ambiance and focus on customer service. Akash emphasizes, “We are a family business and we want to get to know who walks in our doors and build personal relationships. Without our guests we are nothing.â€? Akash says, “I was born into the hospitality industry. I know how to treat people and I know how to learn from my mistakes. Akash’s wife, Elena, is also involved in the winery, particularly with the wine club. Like Akash, she loves meeting guests and making them feel welcomed. Akash’s parents also visit regularly and are involved to advise and consult.
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Throughout our conversation, Akash emphasized that the winery’s primary focus is always making great wine. Renato, the winemaker, has taught Akash much about producing outstanding wine. We enjoyed tasting several of the winery’s exceptional wines. We loved the crisp Sauvignon Blanc with white peach, pear, mango, and green apple flavors. The Parlez-Vous RosĂŠ was deep pink with luscious tastes of strawberry, plum, and cranberry. The reds also boasted intense color, aromas, and flavors. We particularly liked the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon that delighted us with peppery tastes of vanilla, cherry, and cranberry. Three’s Company was also especially savory with intense flavors of blue- and blackberries along with aromas of caramel and chocolate. We also savored a small “lunch boxâ€? with cheeses and meats that paired nicely with the wines. Each weekend, beautifully prepared charcuterie ! ! ! !
boards are delivered by Grazing Theory, a catering company in Temecula, specializing in charcuterie boards. Guests can also order charcuterie for larger groups in advance. Frequently, food trucks are onsite to provide all kinds of delicious food items for purchase. Akash Winery has several levels of wine clubs which offer a variety of benefits, including quarterly pickups and shipments, onsite complimentary tastings, and fabulous member parties. Uniquely, one of their club’s features yoga and wine. The winery tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. until at least 6 p.m. Some nights the tasting room is open longer and frequently guests are entertained by live music. Akash is one of the few wineries in the region with televisions so sports fans can watch their favorite teams while they sip their wine. Monday nights the winery is open for Monday night football. Check the winery’s website (https://www.akashwinery.com/) for details on hours and special activities. Photos by Todd Montgomery.