Pahrump Valley Vineyards By Art Nadler Jack Sanders originally came to Nevada in 1985 as a consultant to mediate the bankruptcy of a company that had been headquartered in Pahrump, a little town nestled over the mountains about 58 miles west of Las Vegas. During the visit, he was surprised to learn that a man by the name of Joseph Yont had successfully operated a winery in Pahrump in 1875 and grew six different varieties of grapes.

He did a little more research and found that another former resident, Frank Boul, had bottled wine in a 20-by-20 foot cabin; dubbing his nectar Chateau Bual Santurne. Sanders pondered this anomaly for a moment - producing wine in the Mojave Desert - and concluded that if Yont and Boul could do it under primitive conditions, a modern-day operation should yield a bumper crop. So he purchased a piece of property on a hilltop, and on March 17, 1990, erected a 13,000-square-foot Mediterranean mission-style winery, restaurant and bottling plant. Sanders' Pahrump Valley Vineyards, 3810 Winery Road, became the first fully licensed winery in the state of Nevada. "I thought Pahrump would be a perfect place to do something," Sanders, president and chief executive officer, remembers thinking at the time. "We are 45 minutes to an hour from Death Valley and the same distance from Las Vegas. This would be a nice side trip that people could take." Also, Sanders discovered doing further research, Pahrump had an abundance of aquifers, and agriculture had always been part of the community. Currently, Pahrump Valley Vineyards produces eight varieties of wine: Chardonnay, $12 a bottle Cabernet Sauvignon, $16; Merlot, $12; Symphony, $8:50; Burgundy, $7; Desert Blush, $7; Creme Sherry, $14.99; and Charleston Peak, a proprietary wine only available at the winery for $8.50 a bottle. It's an off-dry white wine named after nearby Mount Charleston. The winery sells approximately 20,000 cases a year. Sanders say on average 115,000 people come through Pahrump Valley Vineyards annually. The facility features two tasting rooms, a gourmet restaurant, gift shop, and outdoor dining and picnic areas. There's also a covered bandstand and concert area where various weddings, picnics and music festivals are conducted throughout the year. Also, Sanders points out, a nearby helipad shuttles people in from Las Vegas and nearby areas on a regular basis. At one time, he says, 12 helicopters landed in a day. The restaurant is open seven days a week from noon to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner. Winery tours are conducted daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On March 17, 2000, Sanders says Pahrump Valley Vineyards will mark its 10th anniversary. In celebration of the momentous event, he will introduce a new line called Vaucluse. It will include a petite sirah, a sauvignon blanc and probably a merlot, he says. Also, Sanders says he's hoping to take Pahrump Valley Vineyards public in the near future. Currently, Pahrump Valley Vineyards wine is sold in every state except Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Besides wine, the vineyard produces its own natural raspberry vinaigrette, grape seed oil and chardonnay jalapeno mustard. Sanders say his wines most closely resemble California wines. They are crisp, clean and flavorful. "We borrowed the very best of what other wineries do," Sanders says. "We've developed a landmark here. Besides being a winery, people use us as a place for all kinds of functions." For information, call the Pahrump Valley Vineyards at: (775) 727-6900, 1-800-368-WINE (9463). Fax (775) 727-9533. The vineyard web site is: www.pahrumpwinery.com.