It Is not often that a person can be great at many different ventures, almost having the Midas touch, but one man has come close, Greg Norman. He is legendary in the golf community having won to many championships to mention, but what many people do not realize is that he also has a very successful clothing line, beef company, real estate companies, Turf Company, and wine company to name just a few. In talking with Greg and his daughter Morgan the one thing that stood out the most was their passion for everything that they do and to ensure that it is done to the highest standard.  There are no cutting corners or resting on laurels with this family, it is all hard work and quality.

I enjoyed a nice conversation and dinner with Greg and Morgan recently and discussed their wine venture in detail. Here are some of the highlights of the conversation. I asked about the sourcing of the fruit in California and how much input they have in the selection of the vineyard sites, the fruit and final blend of the wines. Morgan stated that when they launched the California line they were looking for vineyards and areas that were varietal specific, they wanted to focus on six different varietals that showcased the regions character.  Also have a somewhat contrast to the flavor profile of the Australian wines. We than talked about the day to day operations of the wine business and how involved Greg and Morgan are. Greg still consults and has a quality standard that the wines have to live up to, “These are an extension of me, my name” and Morgan ensures this and goes a step further, barrel sampling and working directly with the two winemakers, going into the vineyards and ensuring the fruit standards, and then working different markets and lately the label design. The winemaker from Australia has been with Greg and Morgan from the first vintage and ensures a consistency each vintage but still allowing some unique traits from that specific growing season.  Morgan says “Allot of the winemakers put a little of their touch and feel into each vintage, working the estate brands, which blows consumers away. It is consistent year after year, so they know they are going to get a great bottle of wine, but it might have a tweak that represents this current vintage.” There is a sense of family in talking with other members of the company that joined us during the evening with many of them having years of service behind them. The passion and caring for the people and brands was best summed up by Greg “One of the hardest things is being a living brand. You are the brand and you are delivering it day in and day out. You have to set an example, and that example resonates all the way down to the people around you, and that is one of the true values that makes a brand, it is believing in people.”

In 2005 they launched the California line of wines, and besides holding the wines to a high level of quality with limited amounts made, they wanted to make sure that they did not erode any of the Australian business. According to Greg “As demand has grown you can tell that if the quality is not present, the wine will not go out the door.” When asked if they are looking at any other areas for winery ventures Greg stated there are many terrific areas for wines especially South Africa and South America, and they are going to be looking for the right opportunities. “But you want to make sure it adds to not distracts from the wines you got.” Morgan stated that their main focus is on the Australian and Californian wines, and keeping the high levels of quality you find in each bottle.  According to Greg “What you are seeing is that people who were drinking the super premium wines are now also looking for great that can deliver above the bar on quality and flavor for a fair price, and they are discovering our wines. They can save fifteen percent or more and have the same or better quality, which tells me we are making the right business decision in striving for the quality in each bottle.”

I asked Morgan how she got involved in the wine business and was surprised to hear that after she graduated from Boston College she obtained her Culinary Degree. As a child she grew up in the golf tournament circuit traveling throughout the world, always enjoying great food, wine, and destinations. This fostered a love for the culinary arts and wine. During college she traveled to Italy and Australia and worked with some exceptional chefs and furthered her wine knowledge. Currently she is a brand manager for Greg Norman wines and travels extensively promoting and educating the public on the history and quality of the brands. They are now looking at global distribution especially into the Middle East and Asia.

We next talked about what was their most memorable or favorite bottle of wine. Greg remembers the first major golf tournament he won in 1976 and they gave him a case of the high sought after and acclaimed Penfold’s Grange. He still collects this wine each vintage and the suburb flavors and fond memories make it one his favorites in addition to the wines he makes. Morgan stated that it was hard to name just one wine in particular, “my favorites change by the situation, it depends on the friends or family or the memorable meal, but I still have an affinity for the heavy Australian Shiraz and Californian Chardonnay.”
When I brought up the subject of alternate closure they was smile that ran across Greg’s face and a shake of the head from Morgan. I could tell that this subject had been batted around over a few dinners between daughter and father. Greg feels they are a good idea for some wines but it would have to be a gradual introduction. Morgan agreed on the gradual introduction but prefers cork and feels that there is something more romantic about the look and feel of it on a table and that it still provides an excellent method of closure for wine. This may be something that is revisited between the winemakers and them down the road.

They recently started a wine club and beef club on their website www.shark.com. There are still spots available for new members to receive a Greg Norman autographed bottle with their new membership in the wine club. With membership in the wine club you get discounts on all of the Greg Norman wines, in addition to discounts on selections from around the world.  Greg is very proud of Morgan for this project and draws together the culinary side of the business together perfectly.

If you are in the Myrtle Beach area be sure to check out Greg’s Restaurant, Greg Norman’s Australian Grille. The food was out of this world, with perfectly prepared entrée’s that rivaled some of the finest meals that I have had on the west coast and New York.  Some of the highlights on the menu were the chilled jumbo shrimp served with a spicy cocktail sauce that were some of the biggest and well prepared shrimp, almost the size of prawns.  Also during the evening we had the pleasure of sampling 3 different cuts of beef, including a selection from Greg’s Australian AAco meat company which was superb and available through the shark.com website. The other observation from my dining experience was the attention to detail all the way from the kitchen to the wait staff, each plate was a work of art, and each course was delivered professionally. All of my service needs were anticipated without being obtrusive. Director of Operations Peter Dombrowski stopped by our table just to see how dinner was, and to welcome me to the area, which I noticed he did for almost every table. This attention to customer needs, along with exceptional service and food, is what made this a top notch dining experience. If you are heading to Myrtle Beach put it in your itinerary, if not for dinner just go by for appetizers and cocktails, you will not be sorry!
Cheers!

Wines

2005 Greg Norman Camatta Hills Vineyard, Reserve Syrah, California $50
This wine had a deep inky crimson color and a nose to match with aromas of cigar box and wild blackberries and a smoky bacon element. These aromas transcended into the flavors with additional notes of macerated black raspberries and cherries with subtle notes of dark cocoa powder, All framed by the cedar oak notes and a hint of a creamy vanilla. This is a very classy wine with lots of style and grace. Worth every cent and probably allot more.

2006 Greg Norman Limestone Coast Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Blend, Australia, $15
This wine is a blend of 88% Cabernet and 12% Merlot, the Cabernet gave it the structure and the Merlot gave it the finesse. The nose has layers of allspice and pepper with some plum notes. These lead into a medium bodied wine with layers of spice, oak, and nice bright red cherries and raspberries. The finish has just the right amount of oak to bind the flavors together and keep the two grapes style in check. A terrific blend at a very fair price.

Greg Norman Non Vintage Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay, Australia, $16
With 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay this sparkling wine has length and structure in the flavors and balance. Creamy white peaches and vanilla fill the nose and mouth with this wine and lead into flavors of lemon zest, grapefruit and a clean crisp finish. This sparkling wine would work perfectly with almost any occasion or summer meal.

2002 Greg Norman Limestone Reserve Shiraz, Australia $50
This is a very special wine; loads of deep flavors and character just keep flowing and developing with each sip. This wine is barrel aged for 22 months and then cellar aged for 3 years before release. For a wine that has seen this much age it still has allot of life left to go this wine is drinking perfectly now but will continue to evolve perfectly for the next 15 to 20 years if cellared correctly. The nose had layers of white pepper and black plum notes which lead into a very full bodied dark fruit treasure. Velvety layers of black fruit jam and spice all framed with just the right amount of oak and tannins to make it perfectly balanced. The finish holds the taste buds and lets the flavors especially the spice lingers for quite some time. This is a real treasure and worth every penny of the price.

2007 Greg Norman Eden Valley Chardonnay, Australia $15
Another exceptional winner for the price, coming in under $20 this easily drinks like a $30 counterpart.  The nose is packed full of pear and yellow apple notes with a very slight floral hint and some creaminess. This leads into layers of flavors in the mouth, starting with ripe pears and lemon zest than developing into green apples and toasted coconut hints and finishing with just the right touch of oak to bring all the taste together. What a great wine for the price!