Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could travel to a winery and taste some of their wines? If you found one you liked, you could purchase the wine right at the winery. Most wine enthusiasts are not able to partake in wine tourism domestically and internationally, let alone identify and visit wineries that are producing hidden gems. Enter Stephanie Franklin, CEO and Founder of Fly Wines whose mission is to bridge the gap between wine enthusiasts and wineries that are crafting hidden wine gems.

Stephanie enjoys traveling. She traveled to the University of Roehampton in London to earn a Master’s Degree in International Management with Marketing. During her time in London, Stephanie was able to travel to other European countries and her “eyes became open to wine.” Raised in Miami, Florida, Stephanie moved to the San Francisco Bay area. There she became passionate about Merlot and met Giuliano Manno, a sommelier, who is now the Chief Sommelier with Fly Wines. 

We asked Stephanie about her wine journey and why she created
Fly Wines. Stephanie mentioned being with friends who brought out a kit wine they had made. Stephanie did not care for the wine. That brought back memories for Kathy and I. Our first wine we made was a kit wine that developed a geranium taint, not at all to our liking. In Stephanie’s case, this negative wine tasting experience planted the seed to create an experience for wine enthusiasts that would allow them to taste great wines from little known producers throughout the world.

Stephanie’s plan was to create a box of sample wines from a winery. While discussing the name for the company, Fly Wines was suggested. Stephanie is learning to fly a Cessna. Fly Wines was a logical suggestion. Wines from other countries will eventually have to fly to California to be bottled and placed in a tasting box. The focus will be on quality wines with great packaging.

The current tasting box includes four bottles of wine from Fortino Winery in Santa Clara County, California. The wines are bottled in 187 ml bottles, enough for a three ounce pour per person tasting for two people. The current offering includes the 2022 Pinot Grigio, the Vin Rosé, a 2020 Sangiovese and the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon. Customers can sample the wines and then purchase 750 ml bottles of the wines they like directly from Fly Wines.

Stephanie is looking forward to providing wines from producers in Turkey and Portugal. Many people in the United States have not had the opportunity to taste wines from Turkey, despite the fact that Turkey is where wines have been crafted for thousands of years. Stephanie also has her eye set on hidden gem wineries in the country Georgia where wine has continuously been made for over 8,000 years. Fly Wines will be the only source for tasting and purchasing quality wines from these hidden gem wineries from around the world. This will allow wine enthusiasts to enjoy tasting quality wines previously unavailable to them.

While currently Stephanie is focused on growing Fly Wines, she is dreaming of a future of owning her own winery and vineyard.

Stephanie and her team are focused on providing wine flights for enthusiasts. Fly Wines searches for those independent wineries that craft superior wines. Fly Wines purchases the wines, packages them in a flight and sends the box to their customers. Just like visiting a winery, if you sample a wine you like, you can purchase a bottle from Fly Wines. Keep checking their website for additional flights from wineries from around the world.

Cheers,Terry & Kathy

We received a bottle of a Tormaresca Rosé to sample. The wine came from Ste Michelle Wine Estates. This group is a collection of wine estates from the Pacific Northwest (including Chateau Ste. Michelle), California and partnerships including Antinori, with estates in Italy, Napa Valley and Chile.

Tormaresca vineyards and winery was begun in 1998 by Marchesi Antinori. The Antinori family also owns vineyards in other areas of Italy including: Tuscany and Piedmont, and internationally in Napa Valley and Chile.

Tormaresca is located in Italy’s Apulia region. This region is located along the heel of Italy’s foot and close to the sea. Tormaresca focuses on Apulia’s indigenous varieties including Aglianico, Negroamaro and Primitivo. All Tormaresca wines are produced with estate grown grapes.

The Tenuta Carrubo estate is located in the Mandurai DOC. This estate with 40 hectares focuses on the Primitivo grape. The Masseria Maime estate, with 350 hectares of grapevines and 85 hectares of olive groves, also offers views of the Adriatic Sea. The Negroamaro grapes for the wine we enjoyed were from the Masseria Maime estate.

The Wine

The 2022 Calafuria, Salento IGT, was a rosé wine from the Tormaresca estate in the Puglia region of Italy. The wine was crafted from 100% Negroamaro grapes. The 12.5% alcohol wine had a salmon color with a red hue. The aroma was reminiscent of a red berry fruit salad with some floral notes. The taste included red raspberries, strawberries, pink grapefruit and daisies. The lively mouthfeel reflected citrus notes. The finish was crisp, fruity and had fruit yielding to mineral on the aftertaste. 

This wine pairs well with many foods. It is an excellent choice for an aperitif, or enjoyed in a rocking chair on a porch, patio or by the pool.

Cheers,
Kathy and Terry Sullivan