Peggy Fleming's New Passion--Winemaking

It was cold that February day in 1968 when a 19-year-old from California stepped onto the ice in Grenoble, France. Though celebrated in U.S. skating circles, she was just another hopeful to the waiting crowds at the 10th Olympic Winter Games.

But that was about to change. For the first time ever, the Winter Olympics were broadcast live and in color. As the strains of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 filled the arena, a slender beauty in a bright green dress glided across the ice and into living rooms around the world. The skater's grace and elegance captivated the judges and sparked the Olympic dreams of millions of little girls who wanted to be Peggy Fleming, the only American to bring home a gold medal that year.

Fleming, the winner of five U.S. titles and three world championships, went on to a career that established her as an elite figure in U.S. sports history. She became the first athlete to do a TV special and went on to star in five specials, which earned several Emmy awards.

Her gift turns out to be bigger than the rink. As a breast cancer survivor, Fleming turned the fear and isolation of her diagnosis into action and is now a vital and visible part of the fight against the disease. Her enduring interest in health and fitness has led to active roles with groups such as San Jose's Sports Authority and the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

At 61, Fleming is still seeking out challenges. This time, a home landscaping project has led to a new passion and a new career. With husband Greg Jenkins, a dermatologist and former skater, she runs the Fleming Jenkins Vineyards & Winery in Los Gatos, California. The couple produces nearly 2,000 cases of wine each year under labels like "San Francisco Bay Syrah Rosé" and "Victories Rosé," the latter of which sends profits to breast cancer research. 

On a recent afternoon, we were lucky enough to catch up with Peggy Fleming (no small feat in itself) and talk about this newest direction in her life.

SA: Now you're in the wine business--what's that like?

PF: It's been so interesting. It's a different world than competitive skating--friendlier and more casual. It's a lot of hard work, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

SA: Can you describe how you got there?

PF: It really just evolved. My husband and I had lived in the same house for 31 years. We had an extra acre, and when our older son went off to college, we decided to do something with the property. We met some people at a party who [install] small vineyards for people to experience growing grapes. We had them come in and take a look at our land; it was assessed that chardonnay grapes would grow well up here.

SA: So you decided to plant some vines?

PF: It turned out to be pretty inexpensive landscaping for a whole acre. Paths and flowers would cost a fortune, and the vineyard looks pretty. My husband had retired and had some extra time on his hands to take classes at UC Davis on vineyard health, and to have workers come and futz with the vines and prune them and put soil amendments down.

SA: How did you go from being growers to full-fledged vintners?

PF: At first we sold our grapes to a winery, and we were just 1 percent of the chardonnay. You can't taste your grapes in the wine when you're 1 percent. We'd always been curious about what sort of wines our grapes would produce, and then Greg started thinking about the whole process, of making the wine ourselves, and he decided to launch our own brand. It has been six years now that we have had a bonded winery.

SA: How many grapes does your land produce?

PF: A few tons each season. And as the vines mature, they produce better and better grapes.

SA: As you changed and expanded your vision, did you craft a business plan?

PF: I'd say it was a mix of business plan and serendipity. (laughing) 

SA: What's the difference between just growing the grapes and becoming active in the wine-making process?

PF: Our vineyard represents us. It's my reputation, my athletic reputation, and my husband's medical reputation. We want to live up to that with our wines. We want to make the best wine we can make. You can sell your wine the first time just on celebrity, but we're not the typical celeb wine. For people to come back and buy the second and third bottle, it comes down to "Is the wine any good?"

SA: Are you surprised at where you find yourself today?

PF: Yes and no. My career has evolved with what has happened in my life, and the vineyard is a piece of that. I had cancer 11 years ago and instead of feeling sorry for myself, I shared my story and became involved in early detection. Now I'm doing a lot of endorsements that involve women's health issues and the things I have to be thinking about--we all have to be thinking about--as we get older. Taking care of yourself as you get older is harder than when you're younger. You still have to work out and eat right.

SA: What do you do to stay in shape?

PF: I do a lot of cardio like running or walking or the elliptical trainer. Weight training is important--it keeps your body strong everywhere. I think about posture a lot. When we get older, we get tired and start slumping over and caving in. I make sure to pay attention to how I'm feeling and how my jeans are fitting.

SA: Does skating fit in there anywhere?

PF: Oh yes, I still skate for recreation.

SA: What advice would you give to people who are starting a second act in their lives?

PF: You've got to be inspired. You've got to love what you're doing. Now we're in the wine business, and I love everything about it. I love wine, the look and smell and taste of it, I love the look of the vineyard, and I love food, which is a big part of wine. And you need to keep busy and keep your mind open. I'm never bored. I always I have something I want to do. Right now I'm fiddling around in the garden, working with grass and roses and learning about lavender.

SA: Are you a good cook?

PF: My husband and I both cook. We love it. We've taken some classes--we just took Steven Raichlen's class, his Barbecue University, a three-day workshop up in Colorado, with some wine-making friends. It was wonderful.

SA: What are some of your more popular recipes at home?

PF: My kids' favorite is my chicken pot pie--really simple, no potatoes, and with a top crust. And we have fruit trees. My mom always made peach cobblers, and I make plum cobblers with the fruit from our trees.

SA: What's a splurge for you these days?

PF: A splurge is to sit by the pool and do nothing. And it's hard! (laughs) I'll sit down and I'll think "This is heaven, just heaven," and I'll make it for an hour or two and then think of something I have to do and go do it.

SA: Is there anything new on the horizon?

PF: I started painting a few years ago, and now, that's all I want to do. My grandmother was an artist, and my sister was an artist, and both of our boys are talented artists... I'll see a sunset and have to paint it. It's just so much fun. That's what I mean about keeping your mind open--life just happens, runs into you.