Intrigued by the idea of growing vines atop of an industrial building, I met with Rooftop Reds founder Davin Shomaker, General Manager TJ Provenzano, and Village Vines director (Rooftop Reds nonprofit initiative) Malcolm Baker to talk about their unique project, and of course to taste some wines.
When you enter Lustau winery, a 19th century warehouse in the heart of Jerez, you end up in a cathedral-like space with vaulted ceilings and rough ochre sandy clay soil. The sunlight beats down through the high open windows to the long rows of barrels. The air is perfumed with beautiful sweet aromas of summer flowers, wood and soaked apples. You feel like time has stopped here. It’s quiet and tranquil. Inside thousands of barrels, sherry sleeps under the blanket of flor.
