When Josh Hackler decided to share his love of Spain by bringing affordable wines to the U.S. market, he wasn't even old enough to apply for an import license.
He's now 24, and his company, Spanish Vines is off to a good start, now at Trader Joe's, Harris Teeter, Kroger, Whole Foods and Earth Fare stores in the South. Spanish Vines has three lines, all affordable, all tasty, and all hand-selected by an idealistic kid with a passion for Spain, an ability to recognize good wine, and the drive to bring that wine to an eager market.
Hackler knows the food and beverage business. His father, Joe, owned restaurants in Myrtle Beach (The Old Pro's Table, Aspen Grille). At age 12, Hackler was flipping steaks on the grill, standing on a milk crate. The restaurant business is tough, though, and his father encouraged Hackler to pursue other business avenues.
It was during a study-abroad program through the University of South Carolina that Hackler visited and fell in love with Spain. While still an undergraduate, he developed a business plan with the goal of bringing value and Spain together to the table.
With the help of wine-loving friends in Spain and the support of his parents (whom he calls his No. 1 fans and advisers), Spanish Vines began carefully selecting wines and packaging them under a private label. The first wines hit the shelves in late 2007, a red tempranillo and a white blend. They were an instant hit, with the 2006 tempranillo awarded an attention-getting "Best Buy" recognition from Wine Enthusiast magazine.
Spanish Vines offers three labels. Cinco Joses (or Five Joes) is a very tasty Grenache that retails for less than $8. Spanish Vines sells for less than $13, and a new sparkling muscatel called La Loca, less than $15. All are in keeping with Hackler's vision of providing affordable wine.
Hackler and his dad meet annually with their commercial director in Spain to blind-taste hundred of samples and choose which wines will be selected for the private labels. These are very friendly, approachable wines, the kind that become instant "house wines" and keep consumers reaching for them.
Hackler is using the social media tools Facebook and Twitter to keep fans updated, hoping to attract the brand-loyal 25-to-35-year-olds. (Search on "Spanish Vines" at both sites, or go to www.spanishvines.com .)
Josh's goals in the next five years are to expand the company so that Spanish Vines has a national presence. I'll be cheering him on, interested to see what he dreams up next.
