Walking into the winery of AO Vino, one gets the feeling that it has always been here. Is it just the comfortable atmosphere of a giant barn filled with barrels of oak wine that give the sense of permanence? David Watson, too, might feel like he’s been here forever. He left behind a career as an internet developer and felt much more at home at the edge of the land, having the ability to see and style the fruits of his labors.
In 1982, the purchase of the property’s 25 acres began the evolution of what has been seen these days, with 75 acres growing eight different varieties of wine grapes. David has always been a deep-down farmer, taking care of the land to deliver the best it can. By ripping out existing prune trees and unhealthy vines and planting new vineyards, he began reworking the vinery. He did it on his own, tractor work, cellar work and one-person sales department for several years. He originally created just a few hundred cases of his favorites, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, marketing the bulk of the grapes to various wineries. Today, over 5,000 cases of 9 different varieties are produced by AO Vino.