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WINE COUNTRY THIS WEEKTasting Room of the Week:Peggy Fleming and Greg JenkinsFLEMING JENKINSby Charles NeaveAs anyone who has followed the career ofchampion skater and Olympic gold medalistPeggy Fleming, both on and off the ice, itshould come as no surprise that when shedecided to venture into the business ofmaking wine, two things would guide her.The first was her trademark excellence. Thesecond was her commitment to charitablecauses that she cares passionately about. Twoqualities she has carried over into the wineryshe and husband Greg Jenkins, a Texas nativeand a physician, founded in 1999, when theyplanted a small, one-acre Chardonnay vineyardon their ridge top property in thefoothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains aboveLos Gatos, not from far the small farm wherePeggy grew up.For years, the coastal Santa Cruz Mountainshave been known for winemaking. Afterharvesting the fruit from their own vineyard,and tasting it, they discovered their dreamshad come true: they loved the wine. Thisinspired them to launch their own winery andtoday, they continue to farm and harvest thatfirst vineyard while making their wines in theLos Gatos hills at the historic NovitiateWinery, one of the state’s oldest continuinglyoperating wineries.Greg, who retired from his medical practicethree years ago to become a full-timewinemaker, says “I like to make accessiblewines, wines that are well-balanced and foodfriendly. I also like it that our red wines areready to enjoy when they’re released.”Referring to another part of the FlemingJenkins equation: “We also like to producewines that make a difference in people’s lives.”Like the delicious Victories Rosé, with itsaromas of berries and a refreshing brightnessof flavor.The Rosé has special meaning to bothPeggy and Greg, on one level in particular. “In1998, on the 30th anniversary of my 1968Olympic victory, I was diagnosed with breastcancer,” Peggy said. “For me, it was anotherOlympics, a life Olympics in which I wasgranted a second great victory. Early detectionsaved my life, and since then, Greg and I havelooked for ways to help raise funds andawareness in the quest for a breast cancercure.” Sale of the Rosé does just that, raisingmore than $20,000 since the 2004 vintage.Visitors can now taste the wines of FlemingJenkins at their tasting room in downtownLos Gatos, not far from San Jose. Wines on theroster now include – not just that originalChardonnay – the Rosé, a Napa ValleyCabernet blend (“Choreography”), and twoSyrahs, one of them sourced from their friendJohn Madden’s Livermore Valley vineyard.“When people visit we want them to feellike they’re part of the family, and luckily weare still small enough to have that personaltouch. And people also leave here knowingthat we are also a serious winery, but one thatenjoys making a personal connection with thepeople that visit and enjoy our wine.”As evidence that it is still a family-styleadventure, Peggy still decorates the windows,Greg is usually in the back, customer relationsdirector Tammy Larson’s daughter Allison hasher own name tag and tasting room managerGregg Gorham is always ready with recommendationsand directions for local shops,restaurants and places to stay.This is all echoed in the comfortable styleof the Main Street tasting room. An old railroadcart and an oak barrel sit out front ofthe big windows, while inside it is all lightwood floors, the look of granite on the L-shaped tasting bar with the wood wine racksbehind it, and soft lighting. All part of a totalremodel that took place in Spring of 2008.The result is what they wanted. Like thewine they produce it is a charming labor oflove, practicality and, most of all, a warmaccessibility.The Fleming Jenkins tasting room in theheart of Los Gatos at 45 West Main Street.They’re open Tuesday through Sunday fromnoon until 6 p.m. Their telephone number is(408) 358-4949, or look on the internet atwww.flemingjenkins.com. Private tastingsand special events can also be arranged.28 www.WineCountryThisWeek.com