Richard Moriarty is changing his reputation from party kid to vineyard entrepreneur

By Paul Clinton

December 1 2002

You can jog on its trails. You can visit it for a bird-watching trip. And in the near future, you may just be able to enjoy the fruits of its soil.

Richard Moriarty, the colorful Segerstrom heir with the rambunctious past, has been perfecting a Back Bay Bordeaux, fermented from grapes grown in soil bordering Upper Newport Bay.

As the owner of Newport-Mesa's sole winery, the simply-named Newport Beach Vineyards and Winery, Moriarty says the somewhat arid climate is ideal for growing grapes. He describes it as a cross between Baja Mexico and the Mediterranean.

"It's a great climate," Moriarty said, overlooking his 3.5-acre Newport Beach property. "Growing grapes is nothing. I have more problems with the [city's] planning department."

With the air of a developer hardened by the bureaucratic roadblocks at City Hall, Moriarty can quickly recount his struggle over the past year or so to construct a wine cave at his Mesa Drive property.

His dream hasn't died, but there's an air of resignation about the cave venture. One thing he's optimistic about is his winemaking craft, developing high-quality wines and adding a tasting room at his exotic plant nursery nearby.

To put himself on the map in the wine market, Moriarty is working on a deal to purchase a bulk chardonnay, known as "shiner" wine, to sell under his label. The practice is a common one for novice vintners looking to get on their feet.

By next year, Moriarty plans to roll out a crop of his own vintage, harvested from one of the varieties of red grapes now growing on his land. Neatly regimented rows of Bordeaux varietal grapes -- cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot and petit verdot -- line Moriarty's property.

He finished harvesting this year's crop in late September, leaving the vines to grow dormant during the winter months.

The jovial Moriarty isn't taking a highly scientific approach to winemaking, though he has poured himself into the endeavor.

"Once the grapes reach ripeness, the birds will let you know," Moriarty joked. "My dog even eats them."

Moriarty established the winery with girlfriend Loren Blackwood in 1999. The two have been a couple for six years. Blackwood handles a lot of the marketing efforts. She designed the winery's Web site (www.nbwine.com) and is working to place the wine in Orange County restaurants.

So far, the wine has reached the cellar of Anaheim's Napa Rose and Newport Beach's Pascal. Blackwood said she strikes up many of the leads, then brings in Moriarty to close.

"We work together really well as a pair," Blackwood said. "I'll just pass the ball to Richard and he finishes the deal."

His efforts have begun to pay off. Moriarty won a silver medal from the Orange County Fair's wine competition in 2001 for a Back Bay Cuvee and a gold medal during this year's fair.

Moriarty has been seeking advice from David Vergari, the head winemaker at Los Angeles' San Antonio Winery. Vergari said he likes what he has tasted so far.

"He's very inquisitive," Vergari said. "He's keen to hear all he can about wine and he's well on his way."

Moriarty's love of fine wines stretches back to his bachelor past, in which he developed a Rodman-esque reputation of wild bacchanalian parties around town.

Moriarty's mother, Ruth Ann Moriarty, is the sister of Henry Segerstrom.

In the 1980s, he sponsored annual theme parties, with names like "Pimps, Hookers, Drug Dealers and Lawyers Ball." Hundreds of revelers arrived in scantily-clad outfits, which rarely stayed in place as the night progressed.

Moriarty says he has been banned in "every hotel in Orange County," as well as the Spruce Goose. In 1985, more than 3,000 people attended a party at the then-Disney-owned dome. Moriarty was politely asked not to come back.

Moriarty can also recount tales from Balboa Bay Club parties he threw in the early 1970s and chili cook-offs in Newport Beach that featured wet T-shirt contests.

"It was the wildest party in town," Moriarty said about the cook-off.

Moriarty, 54, graduated from USC, with a degree in international management. For 30 years, as a landscape architect, he grew exotic orchids and other plants. Via his Newport Beach nursery, Green Systems International, Moriarty continues his green thumb ways.

He still holds dinner parties for close friends, but Moriarty now seems content to live a quieter life. Quieter, but not lacking in a fine local vintage.