Tulsa World - Debbie Blossom World Staff Writer
11/09/2003

Creek County vineyard converts historic site into wine-making attraction   Michael Wyke / Tulsa World Gary Schroeder and Roger Wilson 's entrepreneurial aspirations have always been easy to swallow. Each is part farmer and scientist, part small business owner and tourism booster. They watch trends and hope to set a few of their own, and are fiercely loyal to their home state. In 2001, their acquaintance and mutual ambitions were behind the creation of Tidal School Vineyards Inc., a wine-making operation initially located in Stroud along Interstate 44 and historic Route 66. The site was never meant to be permanent, though. Schroeder, Tidal School 's president and chief executive, and Wilson, the company's chemist and wine maker, had discovered another location that would be a perfect home for the business of their dreams. By Jan. 1, the winery will be operating at a new home -- in the 75-year-old Tidal School on the outskirts of Drumright.   When the two vintners discovered the historic school, wooden floors sagged and paint curled in strips from the walls. But the building's brick structure had survived and stood intact. The two vintners looked beyond years of neglect, embracing a landmark of the state's past to help shape its future. By the end of the year, they will have completed a $500,000 renovation on the two-story, 8,000-square-foot building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The new Tidal School Vineyards and Winery will boost a one-acre vineyard, a fully automated production area, banquet space, tasting room and retail gift boutique. A patio and gazebo will extend from the back of the building, overlooking landscaped lawns, picnic areas and rows of grapes. One side of the building will accommodate parking. "We're saving a jewel of Oklahoma history," Wilson said. The restoration is also a chance to bring a breath of California 's Napa Valley to Oklahoma -- working winery tours with an up-close look at a producing vineyard, a lesson on aging wine and a tasting room offering free samples. "This will be as good as or better than 90 percent of California 's wineries," Wilson said.	Scott, Gary, and Wes Schroeder (standing from left to right in left photo) gather with Roger Wilson (kneeling) at their newly planted vineyard next to the old Tidal school building south of Drumright.Tidal School’s wines (top photo) are carried by all of Oklahoma’s wholesalers.
This is an architectural rendering of Tidal School Vineyards’ facility restoration project. Several investors are providing time and resources in exchange for company stock rather than cash.     The Tidal School was built in 1929 by oil baron John D. Rockefeller and was purchased later by J. Paul Getty, owner of Tidewater Oil Co. The children of Tidewater's employees attended the school. Reviving the former schoolhouse has been three years in the planning -- an unusual collaboration between Tidal School Vineyards, the city of Drumright, and a Tulsa construction contractor who sees a rosy future for Oklahoma's fledgling wine industry. The city sold the property and the building for $1, hoping to preserve a piece of local history and entice more visitors to this small but scenic Creek County community. Lloyd Caldwell of Tulsa-based Caldwell Enterprises is donating his time and skills for free, believing his investment will be rewarded through Tidal School 's inevitable growth. "We believe it will be worth more to have stock than to get paid," said Caldwell, one of many Oklahoma companies providing services and expertise at no charge. A Tulsa architectural firm, Olsen-Coffey, signed on as an investor. So did smaller firms like C&S Plumbing in Cushing, CWC Interiors from Tulsa , C. Doss Painting in Broken Arrow , Muskogee 's Hearon Steel, Jenks-based Seco Electrical Contractors and Amos & McDaniel Heating and Air in Stroud. In four years, Caldwell says, he thinks the company has the potential to be worth 100 times more than it is right now. "We're banking on it being like California was in the 1920s -- we're getting in on the ground up," he said. "We're making a little history here, and the people of Oklahoma will benefit," he said. "This hasn't been done before." Caldwell 's hopes seem right on target. During the past few years, grapes have become one of Oklahoma 's fastest expanding specialty crops, according to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. And while Oklahoma hardly seems comparable to the topography and ambiance of Northern California, the soil and climate here art actually quite conducive to growing a variety of different varietals, from table grapes to those used to make wine, fruit juices and jelly.
Grapes are a value-added product, Schroeder noted. Growers can coax four to six tons out of each acre planted, and at $1,000 to $1,200 per ton, grapes average out to be the state's best cash crop. According to the Oklahoma Grape Growers and Wine Makers Association, the number of wineries in the state has blossomed from two to 17 since 2000, after legislators approved two bills allowing wineries to sell directly to retailers and to consumers at trade shows and festivals. There are now 72 vineyards and 17 wineries scattered across the state, and more than 200 acres devoted to growing grapes being commercially sold for wine or juice, says the OGGWMA. Tidal School 's six different wines were at first made entirely from grapes imported from California and Oregon . But now, while some grape varieties still need to be purchased from West Coast vineyards, more and more Oklahoma grapes are being added to Tidal School's blends. Besides the grapes that will be harvested from the newly planted Drumright vineyard, Tidal School owns another vineyard in Stroud and has purchasing contracts with five other grape growers who are members of the Lincoln County Grape Growers Association. Aggressive marketing and an increased demand from wine enthusiasts have impacted Tidal School's sales. The business has grown into the state's largest -- production jumped from 2,500 cases in 2002 to just over 4,200 cases this year. "We expect to sell from 6,000 to 8,000 cases in 2004, and up to 12,000 during the next three or four years," Schroeder said. He also expects to pump another $2 million to $3 million back into the business during the next three years, improving equipment and upgrading the bottling line to reach a higher production level. The business will also bring jobs to the area. While the winery in Stroud relied on six employees, the Drumright operation will employ 15 full-time and 15 part-time people by the end of its first year. Oklahoma 's grape growers and wine makers think their industry could be the boost the state's tourism business needs. "What we learned from the Tourism Department is that there is a $380 difference between the tourist who drives through and the one who stops," Schroeder said. State wineries give travelers one more reason to spend more time here, he said, and those dollars are more important than ever to the state's economy. There are now wineries in all 50 states, and the wine-as-tourism draw is big business in many, including Missouri , where Wilson learned the science of making wine. But Oklahoma is a bit behind its neighbors, Schroeder said. One drawback to those interested -- the amount of money needed up-front. "The winery business is very capital-oriented," he said. The Stroud operation was started with a $250,000 investment, but Schroeder said the Drumright project would never have happened without the willingness of other companies to trade work for a stake in Tidal School 's future. The arrangement "is absolutely unique." Any business that draws tourists is exciting, said Ron Dyer, chairman of the Drumright Industrial Authority. "We have several attractions in Drumright that people drive in for," said Dyer, who is also director of the town's Boomtown Theater. "This is just one more to come here for." A first-ever wine festival in June hosted by Tidal School was a huge success, he said, and will now be an annual event. The winery and vineyard have also inspired residents to donate memorabilia and old photographs to the winery, and some will be displayed inside when the renovation is finished. A report from research firm Impact Databank projects that wine consumption in the United States will increase by 5 percent this year, after a 6 percent jump in 2002. The research credits basic demographics for the upswing -- 60 million young adults have reached legal drinking age since the mid-1990s, and they are prime customers for wine marketers, Impact Databank says. In Oklahoma , educating the public about wine is considered just as important as producing the product. There have been hurdles to overcome, like wine's strictly blueblood heritage and the confusion associated with all the different types, and which wine goes with what foods. "We want to get rid of the snobbery associated with wine," Wilson said. "One of our objectives is to make wine something people will want to embrace." Since its wines were introduced in 2002, Tidal School 's owners have pushed to get their product noticed by Oklahomans. One of Schroeder's sons, Oklahoma State University junior Wes Schroeder, has joined the company, concentrating on marketing the wines to liquor stores and restaurants. Tidal School 's wines -- three dry and three sweet -- are now carried by all of Oklahoma 's wholesalers and can be found in 250 retail stores. Wes Schroeder and his younger brother, Scott, are both working with their father while they major in business at OSU with their eye on a wine career. They both wanted to be involved in the business long term -- another positive aspect of this home-grown Oklahoma business, Schroeder said. "I'd like to help create opportunities for our children in Oklahoma ." Debbie Blossom 581-8387 debbie.blossom@tulsaworld.com

Copyright © 2003, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

 

 

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Current Articles:

 

• The Fruits of Labor
  (Oklahoma Wine Country - 2003)

• News From Lincoln County Grape Growers
  (October - 2003)

• Tidal School Vineyards Support Local Growers
  (October - 2003)

• Wine 101 - Common Tasting Terms
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• Stroud winery has pure Oklahoma harvest  
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