Taste the good life

As professors at the University of Michigan/Ann Arbor, Clay and Fredericka Thompson never imagined they’d settle on California’s Central Coast. Yet a chance trip to San Luis Obispo inspired them to turn a fancy for wine into a full-blown passion – and a new career.

Clay says he was “restless, disillusioned, and burned out” from academia in 1981 when a California visit showed him a new side of life. “We drove up the coast and started visiting these little boutique wineries, which were a fairly new phenomenon back then, and…bingo!,” says Clay. “We thought, ‘How do we get into this? These people are having fun!’”

Enthralled by the gorgeous land, the friendly people, and “climate, climate, climate,” as Clay says, they decided to relocate to San Luis Obispo. Clay talked himself into a job at Edna Valley Vineyards, and in 1983, the Thompsons launched their own winery, christened with Clay’s full name (Claiborne) and Fredericka’s maiden name (Churchill).

Today, their bottlings – especially their signature Dry Riesling and Pinot Noir – as well as those of other local wineries inspire rave reviews and have earned numerous awards. SLO offerings rival or exceed those of northern cousins Napa and Sonoma, but local vineyards don’t have the crowds, the high tasting fees, or the attitude.

“It’s generally very friendly and low-key,” says Fredericka. “There’s none of the snobbery that takes the fun out of wine tasting.” Vintners share equipment, socialize, and compare notes; many host informal events designed more for socialization than selling, including the Thompsons’ Friday-night “Sips and Songs” get-togethers, picking parties, and wine-blending seminars.

If you’re a wine lover, the magic that transformed the Thompsons works on visitors, too. “Our friends who come here think it’s paradise,” says Fredericka. Adds Clay: “This little seven-mile valley is a jewel, the wine is very high quality, and SLO is a very charming mission town. It’s hard to beat.”