Coachman Hotel in South Lake Tahoe releases custom wine

The Coachman Hotel in South Lake Tahoe is well known in the area for its enviable ski-chic design and laid-back bar. Now, guests can enjoy a taste of the Coachman in the form of a custom Sauvignon Blanc created just for the South Shore hotel.

With the help of Paso Robles, California-based Halcyon Wines, hotel owner Justin Watzka tasted all different wines from the region before landing on what would ultimately become the Coachman’s inaugural vintage.

“Justin has always had a passion for wine and is involved with a couple of different wineries down in the Napa-Sonoma area,” said Coachman general manager Kathleen Bunnage. “It was a dream of his to be able to do a partnership like this so we could have a foothold in the wine industry.”

“It’s also just a really fun takeaway for us to be able to have for guests,” added Bunnage.

Tyler Elwell, winemaker and one-half of the husband and wife duo behind Halcyon Wines, said the 2015 Coachman Hotel Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect fit for Lake Tahoe because of its “seasonal versatility.”

“It’s both bright and fresh with clear citrus notes and peach notes (great summer option), but also medium bodied, which would make it a great tipple in the hot tub after a long day on the slopes,” explained Elwell.

“We wanted something really easy and approachable,” said Bunnage. “Right now it’s just the Sauvignon Blanc, but if all goes well, we’d love to expand to a couple of different varietals.”

A bottle of the custom wine can be purchased for $20 at the Coachman Hotel or enjoyed by the glass at the bar ($5 during happy hour from 3-6 p.m.).

“It’s been extremely busy, but we’re having so much fun,” said Bunnage about the Coachman Hotel’s first winter season since its change in ownership and complete renovation.

The Coachman Hotel is located at 4100 Pine Blvd., in South Lake Tahoe.