Pat enrolled in and completed a program at Sonoma State, where he studied both winemaking and the wine business. This led to the discovery of The Wine Foundry. He now had access to iconic vineyards, equipment, and a seasoned consulting winemaker.
Fast forward to a holiday dinner at Quartino’s in Chicago in December of 2014. Pat and Robbin told their three children–- Allison, Mike, and Katie-– of their plan to start a boutique wine business selling high-end wines into the Chicagoland market. The kids were enthusiastic and the family started throwing ideas to name the winery.
A couple of bottles later, Allison suggested naming the winery after a cherished family vacation taken earlier that year–a drive from Las Vegas to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, and then a 220-mile shuttle ride to the north rim. The family spent the next two days hiking across the Grand Canyon “Rim to Rim”. After hiking 13 miles down the north rim on day one, day two was spent going up the 11-mile “Bright Angel” trail.
The name was perfect! Not only did “Bright Angel” have a great connotation, but it also represented a significant challenge that the family conquered together.
The Bright Angel story continues in early 2015 when Pat’s longtime friend Ken Stemke joined Bright Angel. Pat and Ken met at their first job out of college in 1984 working at then Libertyville National Bank. Ken has stayed in the banking industry the past 35+ years while working with Pat on Bright Angel Wines. In 2015, they introduced their first two wines–a 2013 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet.
Each varietal’s label tells our story, while the front of the label maps our journey. Each varietal on our label is a different color ranging from the straw yellow of Sauvignon Blanc progressing to a deep purple of Zinfandel.
Today, you can find our Bright Angel wines featured in restaurants, country clubs, and fine wine shops in the greater Chicagoland area.