Richard Childress of NASCAR celebrates five years of making top-notch wines

Richard Childress didn't know what to expect when he and longtime friend and business partner Greg Johns began planning their small vineyard in central North Carolina in 2003. Childress knows racing--witness his Chevrolet-based teams' 89 major stock-car wins and six NASCAR championships since 1983. But even Childress realized he was a rookie backmarker when he opened Childress Vineyards in October 2004 along Route 52 south of Winston-Salem.

It turns out ol' RC had nothing to worry about. His five-year-old vineyard in Davidson County has become one of the Triad's most popular tourist attractions. Its well-respected line has won more than 500 awards, including 100 gold and double-gold medals. The 65-acre facility includes a lavish banquet hall and a casual Italian-style bistro. There's a gift shop and indoor and outdoor facilities for weddings, reunions and business meetings. The free guided tours and tastings attract thousands of visitors each month.

“It's been more fun than I ever thought it could be,” Childress said, speaking of the vineyard's fifth anniversary. “The support from race fans over the past five years has been overwhelming. We have a great winemaker, and my daughter, Tina, is running things. That's probably the neatest thing, because I get to spend more time with her. It's been a great experience for all of us, a great addition to my life.”

Despite his hardscrabble blue-collar background, Childress began studying wines and winemaking during NASCAR's annual weekends in Watkins Glen and Sears Point. He toured world-class wineries and stayed for the tastings. After studying the business carefully, he developed the same passion for winemaking that he'd always held for racing.

“I could have bought something in one of those states, but I wanted it in the county that's been home for so long,” he said. “I'm proud that we've been so successful here, in North Carolina.”

Childress didn't build his vineyard on the cheap. He persuaded noted winemaker Mark Friszolowski to relocate from Pindar, a well-established, high-volume winery on Long Island. “Richard wants a world-class winery and has made the financial commitment [reportedly approaching $6 million] to have it,” Friszolowski said at the time. “We get whatever we need to do the job right.”

From the start, the vineyard exceeded expectations. Childress and Johns expected a first-year harvest of 8,000 cases. Instead, their first harvest produced 13,000 cases of Char-donnay, Viognier, Vidal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Sangio-vese, Syrah and Malbec. Today, the vineyard produces about 30,000 cases a year.

“But we don't want to become satisfied,” Childress said. “Yes, we've enjoyed much success, but I want to make sure we're continuously improving. We have to make sure we're always progressing and consistently providing our customers with the best experience possible.”

In 2004, when Childress Vineyards opened, North Carolina had only 25 registered wineries. Today, there are nearly four times that many in the state, and Childress modestly takes some credit for that. “It was my dream to produce world-class wines in my home state, and I hope my story has played a part in encouraging others to do the same.”

By Al Pearce