The success of Rush Garner in the wine business can be boiled down to one simple premise: You need to under promise and over deliver in order for a brand to last as long as this one has.

Rush Wines, which has been solely distributed in Alabama for more than 18 years and has eclipsed 40,000 cases sold in that time, has kept that famous delivery promise. If these elements are all lined up correctly, it gives someone every reason to purchase a bottle and give it a try, and then, more importantly, return and purchase additional bottles in perpetuity.

As with many things in life and business, Rush Wines came into being almost by pure happenstance.

After meandering a bit post-college, Garner says he walked into an opportunity in 1997 with then Tuscaloosa-based Pinnacle Imports.

“At Pinnacle I worked at finding retailers for very fine wines. I had a few leads. So over time I made relationships and inroads.

“You needed to learn their business model, so you can consider average price point, who are their customers. What are they selling to who and why. You have to have a command of what would make a deal work for everyone; that is how you build a sustainable business. But it was a long process of figuring out these things.

“Customers used to say, the best thing about working with Rush is that he answers the phone.”

Garner soon struck out on his own, focusing on California wineries.

“In 2002, I was the right person at the right time with the right amount of energy. I was just fortunate it all lined up so well,” Garner says.

In a burst of eponymous entrepreneurship, Rush Wines was born when a California winemaker fell in love with Garner’s hand-drawn logo and envisioned something the then-distributor never thought of: A brand of his own.

Christy and Rush Garner (B-Metro)

Today, Rush Wines distributes a wide variety of limited production wines from independent wineries to 350 active customers in Alabama; and bottles and markets eight different wines – Viognier, Sparkling, a Red California, Bordeaux, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon – under the Rush label.

“As the brand evolved and we added additional items to the original bottlings of Cabernet and Chardonnay, the theory that I developed is referred to as the “80-80-80 rule representing the percentages of consumers’ most likely taste in wine, food pairing and the setting in which the consumer would experience the product).

“This evolution was brought about when expansion opportunities arose for the brand to add an entire lineup of wines. The idea was to create something for all wine consumers, or at least 80% of them.”

But the questions became threefold: How should the wines be styled/priced to result in a broad and mass appeal? What do all wine consumers most like eating with the wine? And where are the wine and food items likely to be consumed?

“We knew that as far as the taste of the wine was concerned, we would need to limit the amount of alcohol (less than 15%), and also tweak the winemaking and harvesting methods to lessen the tannin level in the wines. We would also prefer to limit the oak flavor, as all three of these – alcohol, tannin and oak – are sources for dryness in the taste of wine,” Garner says.

Limiting these three drying elements was necessary to combat part of the probable setting of consumption. Given that eight months out of the average year Alabama is very warm and humid, and also given that during these months there are plenty of outdoor events centered around football, tailgating parties, summertime wedding receptions and all sorts of other social gatherings, you must make red wines that are fruit-driven and can be cooled down a bit, and also white wines that are light and crisp.

“This style of wine would make a perfect complement to all of the fresh seafood that comes out of the abundant Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, it would make a great pairing, no matter where a gathering with wine and food consumption would be held.

“Once you have determined all of these factors and consulted with your wine-making partners, you can narrow down a particular style that the brand would become known for. This will help with consumer recognition and brand loyalty among buyers,” Garner says.

Rush “Ol Red” (contributed)

Rush sparkling (contributed)

“The last element that is possibly more crucial than any is price to quality ratio for brand longevity and growth potential.”

Wine has in many ways defined Garner’s life experience.

It was a long-ago trip with a beloved grandfather that set Rush Garner up for a career, a long-standing business and a love of wine that has colored his life for more than two decades now.

“I remember the trip in 1994, late June. We had two weeks because he had a conference outside of Florence, Italy. So, he did the meetings for a few days and then he told me we would take two weeks and drive to Paris. He told me to decide where to stay and where to eat. I knew nothing about any of that. So, I just chose the most expensive places. He allowed me at age 23 to make all the decisions.

“At lunch and dinner every day we drank wine and I started to understand the food and the wine – not from an academic view – but by tasting the various food and the regional wines that would pair with the meal. It turned me on to a new way of living, a more refined global experience. That is what he showed me,” Garner says.

He also showed Rush Garner the keys to a successful career and business.

Learn more about Rush Wines at winesbyrush.com.

This story originally appeared in B-Metro magazine.