California winemaker Joseph C. Otos will visit three Wilson businesses on Monday.
From 5-6 p.m., he will hold a free wine-tasting and bottle signing at Carolina Cheese Co. at Heritage Crossing.
After that, Otos will visit two restaurants at Shoppes of Brentwood.
He'll hold a winemaker dinner at the new Quince Southern Bistro. Then there's an after-party "meet and greet" at Fifty-Fifty.
Otos, from Sonoma, Calif., is a winemaker for Owl Ridge and Willowbrook Cellars. He will arrive in Wilson after the Beaufort Food & Wine Festival, where last year, he won three gold medals.
Otos completed his degrees in business and history at Sonoma State University. While he was a student, he worked part time at Ravenswood Winery and fell in love with the wine industry. His passion for wine caused him to change course and to try to make a living making wine.
In 2001, he met John Tracy, a vineyard manager. After a few meetings, the two became business partners. They formed Willowbrook Cellars with Otos as winemaker and Tracy as president.
In 2002, they started Owl Ridge Wines to make big Sonoma County Cabernets.
Otos' approach to winemaking has won 34 gold medals, eight double-gold medals, six best-in-class awards, and three critics' choice awards.
Owl Ridge Wines was also named "Best New Winery 2006" and "Best Discovery Cum Laude" at the 2006 Wine Literary Awards.
Laura Keeter