The Story of Bankfield Wines
"Where is your favorite place to be in the whole world? For me, it is fishing at the Bankfield Bridge on my Rock with all the people I love. Below is my hand sketched interpretation of the Bankfield Bridge, the inspiration for the labels on our bottles of Bankfield Wine. I Love this place, I Love getting People together, and I Love great California Wine. Every year, in late May/Early June, the Walleyes will run through the narrow river at the Bankfield Bridge. Over the bridge, there is a cleared area, just large enough for a couple of trucks to park and allow people to enjoy a campfire and a shore lunch fish fry. If your timing is perfect, you may indeed catch a fish on every cast! As you can imagine, it is incredibly fun to see everyone smiling, catching fish, singing and laughing. Not to mention eating a meal of these tasty fish only minutes after being caught! This is the kind of fun energy that is INFUSED in EVERY bottle of Bankfield Wine!!! A bottle of wine can only be shared in person. One cork, one bottle, and many glasses! A smile in every bottle for sure! We want you to enjoy the JOY of the Wine with those you love at YOUR “Bridge”, wherever that may be. Where is your favorite place to relax, to contemplate, or to share a special glass of wine with someone you love? I can hear the laughter at the campfire when I close my eyes, and I think of those times often. So much FUN! I will teach you all I know about wines so that you understand why we make wines that are world class and truly special. After consuming and thoroughly enjoying high end wines from all over the world for 20+ years, I decided it was the right time to jump into the winemaking world. More specifically, I love California wines, especially from the Napa Valley and surrounding areas. So that is where the journey begins... What started as a single Barrel of Ultra-Premium Napa Wine for Friends and Family has turned into an amazing journey.
The quality of our wine is allowing me to follow my passion of making world class wines to share with the people who appreciate the highest level of craftsmanship. But how could I possibly make wines that are better than the biggest names in the industry? I start with the best grapes in the world. There are only so many upper tier grapes. So, you have to be ok with only making as much wine as the great grapes can produce. Sometimes that means a single Barrel. The best grapes on each Vineyard are usually sold to smaller producers like myself rather than lumped into the same bin that will produce 5000 Barrels! Upside, we make better wine. Downside, we can only make a little. So there is the first reason for why you might consider tasting one of our wines. I can't wait to share many other details about our wines that truly make them special. I believe I have been given many gifts in life and one of them is the ability to taste and create seamless and harmonious wines. I want people to get together more often and share the best things in life with each other. What better thing to share than a bottle of World-Class Wine? I can't wait to raise a glass with you and hear about your Wine Journey.
The Drawing of the Bankfield Bridge exudes a certain Serene Energy and was hand drawn while I was sipping on Napa Cabernet on the couch with my wife. I was going back and forth with the Label Design Artist and after many design rejections, I continued to struggle to effectively communicate the energy of the bridge into the Artist’s drawing. So… I picked up a Pen and within a couple of minutes…voila! When Julie noticed the sketch, she quickly shouted “Why don’t you use that for your label! It is perfect for telling people about your mission to get people who love each other to get together more often!” At first, I laughed, but then I remembered the label of a certain 2006 French Wine label. It had a crayola colored zebra seemingly drawn by a third grader on it and that wine is doing just fine lol. If you happen to find out what wine I am referring to, I believe our wines taste far superior. I have been fortunate enough to have tried one and would prefer a Bankfield every time." Doc T, Founder Bankfield Wines
The Bankfield Bridge is Doc T’s favorite spot in the world to gather with friends and enjoy freshly caught fish during the May Walleye Run in Northern Ontario, Canada. This Bridge sits some 60 miles off highway 584 in northern Ontario on a gravel road lined by dense Birch, Poplar, and Pine trees. There are no signs in which to find it. And there is no light source or sound other than your own headlights and truck stereo. A trip to the Bankfield entails a full day of laughter, wildlife sightings, catching and eating fresh fish by the fire and of course cheersing to just having time to get together and experience nature. If you are having an occasion that resembles the joy of the Bankfield Bridge, pop that cork and enjoy a Bankfield Valley, a Bankfield Hillside, or even our stunning burgundian style Pinot Noir!