This Wine is Toogood

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    Toogood was also a fine swimmer. In 1972, he was ranked 16th in the world in the butterfly and competed against Olympic great Mark Spitz. His swimming abilities won him a full scholarship to Cornell University.
    There, Toogood earned an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and animal science and dabbled in viticulture courses before finishing his degree at UC Davis and establishing his veterinary practice. Toogood serves as the executive director of the Yuba-Sutter Veterinary Hospital, which he says recently merged with a nationwide corporation, XLNT Veterinary Care.

The Taste of Profit
    It takes most wineries at least seven to eight years to turn a profit. Toogood says he has done it this year after only four. The annual growth rate is 33 percent, and he estimates selling 3,000 cases this year. This year’s income should exceed $750,000, he says. He says the revenue goal for 2008 is $1 million, which he adds, would set a record for a Sierra foothills winery.
    His biggest challenge the first couple of years was learning to navigate governmental regulations. The winery grows about 50 percent of its grapes and buys the rest from other county growers. Toogood Estates has three employees, and Crystal, who is home for the summer from CSU Chico, also helps out.
    Toogood, who readily announces his bachelor status leaves modesty to others as he touts the quality of his wines in an area thick with wineries. There are at least 20 in tiny Fair Play alone. The label’s Cabernet Franc and Tempranillo Clarksburg both won double gold at this year’s El Dorado County Fair wine competition. Customers describe the winery as “magical,” he says.
    Ultimately, whether it’s as a veterinarian or a winemaker, he gets great satisfaction in making people happy and, of course, in selling cases and more cases of wine.
    “People love pets,” he adds delightedly, “and they love wine.”

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