Cooper's Hawk lands in Madison

Cooper's Hawk Winery opened its doors in Madison Monday.

Why it matters: The brand's first Alabama location is bringing more than a spot to grab dinner and a nice vintage, it's an upscale offering that signals the strength of the local market.

Zoom in: On Highway 72 at Clift Farm, Cooper's Hawk calls itself a lifestyle brand, offering a retail market, Napa-style tasting room and modern casual restaurant.

Catch up quick: Founded in Downer's Grove, Illinois in 2005, the brand now has almost 70 locations across more than a dozen states.

• Among the largest wineries in the country, Cooper's Hawk operates the country's largest wine club, with more than 750,000 members.

What they're saying: "It all stems from our wine club," said Rebekah Casner, general manager. "Our wine club is kind of central to everything that we do, and it really creates this different community that I've never seen in other restaurants."

• Casner, who's helped open four locations in nearly a dozen years with the company, used to manage a location in Indianapolis, she said, where she became friends with a group of wine club members.
• When she helped open a Coopers Hawk in Arizona, they visited to be a part of the opening. They then visited in South Florida when Casner helped open a location there, and last weekend, did the same in Madison.

Zoom out: With the capacity to hold nearly 500 guests total, she said the winery and restaurant is walking before it runs, slowly opening more dining spaces in the weeks ahead.

• Cooper's Hawk has 144 employees on board already, Casner said, adding that the team's existing wine knowledge was a surprise. They're planning to hire about 25 more over the next six weeks or so.

State of play: Opening day was probably the smoothest she's been a part of, she said, and they're nearly fully booked for Valentine's Day Saturday.

• "Celebrate all weekend," Casner said. "It's not about the day, it's about the experience."