Our founders are connected through Marine Corps Aviation. Jeff’s grandfather was a Marine in WWII who served with VMF-311, a Marine F4-U Corsair squadron stationed in the South Pacific. Matt is a third generation Naval Aviator who served as a Marine AV-8B Harrier attack pilot with VMA-542 and VMA-231 during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Because of this connection to Marine Aviation, the company was branded Sky Devil Wines.
Since WWI, Marines have proudly referred to themselves as Devil Dogs. In time, some Marine pilots began using the term Sky Devil to describe a Devil Dog with wings. The F4-U Corsair, a legendary gull winged fighter plane of WWII, is an iconic and enduring symbol of Sky Devils around the world and is the symbol of our winery.
We are building the Sky Devil brand to exhibit our namesake’s esprit de corps and to embody the heroic ideals of a high performing team focused on mission accomplishment. Relentless perseverance is foundational to the Sky Devil, and Sky Devil Wines pursues its passion and mission in the same way. Every day.
Our family and close friends made us who we are. They taught us everything we know, encouraged us to create something meaningful, and have been a driving force in our lives and our brand.
At Sky Devil, we believe in high performing teams and the intrinsic value of work – in doing what we enjoy, sweating the details, and letting the results speak for themselves. We believe in staying up late, waking up early, and enjoying the journey. We believe in trusting each other and taking time to enjoy fruit of one’s labor. We believe hard problems can be solved by family and friends working together – sitting around a table, sharing a meal...sharing wine. Talking...listening. We believe the easy way is rarely the right way.
Perhaps most importantly, we believe in celebrating life’s great moments...the big and little victories that make us each who we are. And we believe in forwarding the dream to others.
Sky Devil Formation is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2018 Sky Devil Cabernet Sauvignon is an unapologetically bold, structured wine. There’s finesse to the nose that offers cherry, coffee bean, and cracked black pepper; the mid-body
is textured with full mouthfeel and the right amount of oak that results in flavors of toast and blackberry; the finish is firm with lengthy, evolving tannins. The barrel program for the 2018 vintage was 26 months in 100% new French oak. We bottled 392 cases unfined and unfiltered.
Great with a New York strip steak. Good to drink now; cellared properly, ages well for 20 – 25 years.
Review:
This Cabernet includes small amounts of Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot in the blend. Aged 21 months in a majority of new oak, it tastes of toast and deliciously ripe red fruit, with substantial concentration, structure and intensity.
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
WALT Wines Blue Jay Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Vivid aromas of black cherry, plum, clove and dried meadow grasses rise from the glass. Walt's signature technique of including roasted stems in the fermentation adds a lift of structure and spice to the ripe, plush palate. Dark fruit flavors lead to a finish with beautiful length.
Review:
Powerful aromas of dark cherry, strawberry jam and crushed star anise make for a hedonistic nose on this bottling. The palate ranges from black cherry to baked berry, with cardamom and more star anise as well as a firm tannic frame standing in the background.
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
Ripe and seemingly languid, but has an underlying succulence to the mix of dark cherry, raspberry and plum fruit, while sleek anise, black tea and warm earth accents course through the finish. Reveals a late flicker of pine forest, too.
-Wine Spectator 93 Points
Charles Smith Sixto Uncovered Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Not from here, this wine is otherworldly. Apricot, stone, pippin apple, sea breeze, and wildflowers mingle to create this compelling beauty. Sit down and take your time with this wine, to savor the incredible structure, with a long and lingering presence of toasted almonds, apple blossom, and flint. A wonderful journey!.
Review:
What a pretty nose. Lemon peel, fresh white flowers, lavender, crushed sage and wet stone. Medium-to full-bodied with carrying acidity. Extremely articulate and graceful on the palate with bright citrus and a dried-floral note. Impressive depth and length. Salty and tangy on the finish with vibrancy. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 96 Points