It all started... when The Executive Officer of the San Diego based Aircraft Carrier USS CONSTELLATION visited the Wilson Creek tasting room on Rancho California Rd. in 2000. He fell in love with one of their wines and wanted to see if Wilson Creek could do a "Captain’s Private Reserve" for the officers on board the Carrier. In a matter of months, Wilson Creek delivered 80 cases of their wine with a beautiful label that the Captain of the carrier helped design. FYI: These large carriers have over 5000 people onboard, with over 300 officers. All the wine was discounted for the Navy and purchased by the officers personally. The Captain uses the wine to give out to dignitaries when the Carrier Battle Group visits a foreign port. Officers buy the wine themselves and use it for personal gifts.
Wilsons land on a carrier: To say "thanks" to the Wilsons for working hard to get the labeled wine to the ship on time, the Captain invited the Wilsons to land on the carrier (called a "trap landing"), stay onboard the night, and then catapult off the ship the next day. Gerry and Rosie Wilson, joined by son, Mick, and grandson, Christopher, did just that. They flew to the carrier in a Navy plane during full practice operations off the coast of Catalina. The landing is quite a rush: decelerating from 130mph to 0 mph in two seconds. The steam catapult launches you from 0 to 160 mph in two seconds.
The word spread: The Captain of the USS CONSTELLATION gave a bottle to the other nuclear carrier in Coronado, the USS JOHN C. STENNIS. The STENNIS then wanted to do something similar. Wilson Creek made it happen, and they have labeled their wine for the USS STENNIS for two years now. Since those first two ships, Wilson Creek has designed personalized labels for over fifty Navy ships and organizations, wives associated with the USS NIMITZ, numerous Marine divisions and generals, and many Air Force and Army units. Wilson Creek did absolutely NO advertising to make this all happen. Mick Wilson stated, "It happened by word of mouth. It really is amazing that a small, family winery has labeled wine for six carriers (and over 25 other Navy ships) to date. I guess they like working with a family business that can be personable, flexible enough to get the job done well."
Wilson wine goes on a world tour: Some other ships in Coronado caught wind of the uniquely designed label and great wine. So in a matter of a few more months, Wilson Creek labeled wine for some other Navy ships such as the destroyers USS KINKAID, and USS FITZGERALD as well as the NAVAL AIR DEPOT, NORTH ISLAND. The Captain of another southland carrier USS JOHN C. STENNIS was given a bottle by the Captain of the CONSTELLATION, and Wilson Creek soon after got a call from the STENNIS. Soon after, Wilson Creek bottled over 100 cases of a beautiful red wine exclusively for the STENNIS. The Captain of the STENNIS and their Chief Engineer took some wine on board to give as gifts to dignitaries such as a French Admiral, Australian dignitaries, the Governor of Tasmania as they steamed to Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. The Captain of the STENNIS stated, "It was wonderful handing out a premium wine and label that represented our ship with class. The Captain of the French Nuclear Aircraft Carrier, Charles de Gaulle, especially liked the wine!"
Serving all the military branches: Wilson Creek is proud to bottle some wine for another southland carrier USS PELELIU. Just recently, a Commander from the Aircraft Carrier USS ROOSEVELT heard about these great labels and great wine, and they have designed a label for their East coast Carrier based out of Norfolk, Virginia. That triggered us doing wine for the USS TRUMAN. Recently, the brand new USS RONALD REAGAN teamed up with Wilson Creek in a label for a Syrah and a White Cabernet Sauvignon. Other branches of the military also have worked with Wilson Creek. Labels have been designed for Air Force squadrons, as well as Army (General Tommy Franks) and numerous Marine units.
It’s an honor: Mick Wilson states, "The reason the Navy clicks with us is that we are smaller and family run. So we can be kind an ‘official winery’ for the officers. We have fun together when they visit the winery in Temecula Wine Country and have a luncheon or dinner followed up with our Decadencia Chocolate Port with a nice cigar. It has been a pleasure and honor working with these amazing officers."
Phone: 951-699-WINE (9463)
35960 Rancho California Rd., Temecula, CA 92591
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It all started... when The Executive Officer of the San Diego based Aircraft Carrier USS CONSTELLATION visited the Wilson Creek tasting room on Rancho California Rd. in 2000. He fell in love with one of their wines and wanted to see if Wilson Creek could do a "Captain’s Private Reserve" for the officers on board the Carrier. In a matter of months, Wilson Creek delivered 80 cases of their wine with a beautiful label that the Captain of the carrier helped design. FYI: These large carriers have over 5000 people onboard, with over 300 officers. All the wine was discounted for the Navy and purchased by the officers personally. The Captain uses the wine to give out to dignitaries when the Carrier Battle Group visits a foreign port. Officers buy the wine themselves and use it for personal gifts.
Wilsons land on a carrier: To say "thanks" to the Wilsons for working hard to get the labeled wine to the ship on time, the Captain invited the Wilsons to land on the carrier (called a "trap landing"), stay onboard the night, and then catapult off the ship the next day. Gerry and Rosie Wilson, joined by son, Mick, and grandson, Christopher, did just that. They flew to the carrier in a Navy plane during full practice operations off the coast of Catalina. The landing is quite a rush: decelerating from 130mph to 0 mph in two seconds. The steam catapult launches you from 0 to 160 mph in two seconds.
The word spread: The Captain of the USS CONSTELLATION gave a bottle to the other nuclear carrier in Coronado, the USS JOHN C. STENNIS. The STENNIS then wanted to do something similar. Wilson Creek made it happen, and they have labeled their wine for the USS STENNIS for two years now. Since those first two ships, Wilson Creek has designed personalized labels for over fifty Navy ships and organizations, wives associated with the USS NIMITZ, numerous Marine divisions and generals, and many Air Force and Army units. Wilson Creek did absolutely NO advertising to make this all happen. Mick Wilson stated, "It happened by word of mouth. It really is amazing that a small, family winery has labeled wine for six carriers (and over 25 other Navy ships) to date. I guess they like working with a family business that can be personable, flexible enough to get the job done well."
Wilson wine goes on a world tour: Some other ships in Coronado caught wind of the uniquely designed label and great wine. So in a matter of a few more months, Wilson Creek labeled wine for some other Navy ships such as the destroyers USS KINKAID, and USS FITZGERALD as well as the NAVAL AIR DEPOT, NORTH ISLAND. The Captain of another southland carrier USS JOHN C. STENNIS was given a bottle by the Captain of the CONSTELLATION, and Wilson Creek soon after got a call from the STENNIS. Soon after, Wilson Creek bottled over 100 cases of a beautiful red wine exclusively for the STENNIS. The Captain of the STENNIS and their Chief Engineer took some wine on board to give as gifts to dignitaries such as a French Admiral, Australian dignitaries, the Governor of Tasmania as they steamed to Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. The Captain of the STENNIS stated, "It was wonderful handing out a premium wine and label that represented our ship with class. The Captain of the French Nuclear Aircraft Carrier, Charles de Gaulle, especially liked the wine!"
Serving all the military branches: Wilson Creek is proud to bottle some wine for another southland carrier USS PELELIU. Just recently, a Commander from the Aircraft Carrier USS ROOSEVELT heard about these great labels and great wine, and they have designed a label for their East coast Carrier based out of Norfolk, Virginia. That triggered us doing wine for the USS TRUMAN. Recently, the brand new USS RONALD REAGAN teamed up with Wilson Creek in a label for a Syrah and a White Cabernet Sauvignon. Other branches of the military also have worked with Wilson Creek. Labels have been designed for Air Force squadrons, as well as Army (General Tommy Franks) and numerous Marine units.
It’s an honor: Mick Wilson states, "The reason the Navy clicks with us is that we are smaller and family run. So we can be kind an ‘official winery’ for the officers. We have fun together when they visit the winery in Temecula Wine Country and have a luncheon or dinner followed up with our Decadencia Chocolate Port with a nice cigar. It has been a pleasure and honor working with these amazing officers."
