Arianna Wines
Get the Dirt from winemaker Arianna Spoto
“The Central Coast is all about doing things the way you want, so that’s why I love this area! You can make pretty much any type of wine and there’s no right or wrong way to do it.”
What was your first vintage year? I started making my wine in 2018. (I’ve been making wine since 2013 for other brands, and since I was a child with my family.) It was a last-minute idea at harvest, but I pulled some things together, and viola! 2018 Torrontés Riojano debuted!
How many cases do you make per vintage? About 100 cases. It ends up coming from about 3 tons of fruit harvested to 1,200 bottles in the end.
Do you have a Tasting Room? I don’t have a tasting room, but I am always available and willing to sit down with any interested customers! Just send us an email, text, etc!
What wine made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery?
My family has a winery and I am a 3rd generation winemaker. We have the traditional story of being a small Italian family (that immigrated to the USA in 1913) that made wine for our own consumption. We grew the winemaking to where my dad now has a premium wine brand called Spoto Family Wines, out of Napa, and I have Arianna Wines, which is for the lesser-known varieties. We all come together at harvest and help make all the brands together.
What varietals do you work with? Which varietal/wine is your favorite to make?
Torrontés Riojano is a white grape and that has become my passion. It is from Argentina and I made it abroad during one of my harvest vintages. I will try to make this wine every year. For the red grapes, I look for the varieties that typically get blended away or don’t have the familiarity. That generally is my “wildcard” that I like to change every year.
What vineyards do you source from?
I am looking for the unknown and hard to find varieties, so sometimes I am at the mercy of where they are grown and who is willing to sell them. I hope to one day have a vineyard and be able to plant the grapes I want to make, but until then, I do what I can with the resources that I have.
What type of oak treatment do you use? Why?
Funny story, I actually sell brand new, beautiful French oak for Tonnellerie Leroi, but I am a big believer in letting the wine speak for itself. There is a delicate balance of new oak, used oak and fruit that you have to respect. Even for my white wine, I use neutral French oak, but I like to keep my new oak for the red wines at about 30% for about 2 years of aging, using of course, my barrels!
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
The Central Coast is all about doing things the way you want, so that’s why I love this area! You can make pretty much any type of wine and there’s no right or wrong way to do it.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
My family took my last name for their wine label “Spoto” so I had to use my first name, “Arianna”
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
Make sure people will want to buy your wine, or you’ll have a lot of wine to drink on your own!
Most importantly, what's so great about being small? What can you do as a small winemaker, that wouldn't be possible for larger wineries?
I’ve worked in large commercial wineries and for my family’s small winery and each have their pros and cons. The best part about being small is the attention to detail and care that goes into each bottle. You can really take the time to focus on the small things and make the wines exactly how you want them.
How do you view the future in the wine industry for small-lot winemakers?
Being small is challenging but 100% worth it! Every year I see small wineries pop up and I love that the industry isn’t slowing down, it’s thriving.
If you could choose another wine region to work in what would it be?
Back to the Barrel Rep topic, I do get to travel and work in many wine regions in California (and Canada). It’s really neat to see what varieties are gown and where. I love the Italian varieties of Temecula, the Burgundians of Santa Barbara and Monterey, but I think my heart lies with my family in Napa, making the Bordeaux varieties.
For more information about Arianna Wines, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram.