Boutz Cellars
Get the Dirt from owner / winemaker Manoli Boutzoukas
“You must be extremely patient. As fast as things are moving, in the big picture of things, winemaking is a very slow process.”
What was your first vintage year? Our first vintage was 2019.
How many cases do you make per vintage? We bottles around 500 cases per vintage.
Do you have a Tasting Room? No tasting room, but we can do tastings by appointment.
What wine made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery? Making and drinking our own wine has been a family tradition. The opportunity to bring our tradition into the market has been an exciting journey.
What varietals do you work with? We work with many grapes including Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Cab Sauv, and Cab Franc, but we are super excited of our new of our Greek varietals coming onboard, which include Assyrtiko, Moscofilero, Vidiano, Agiorgitiko (St. George), Xinomavro and Liatiko!!
What vineyards do you source from? We are exclusively an estate winery. We have two vineyards both in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. Our plantings total 52 acres of vines with elevations ranging from 650 feet to 2200 feet above sea level giving us the ability to create interesting and complex wines.
What type of oak treatment do you use?
Depending on the varietal, we normally like to mix in about 25 to 35% new oak giving our wines a chance to show their true expression of the vineyard site.
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
The diurnal shift - one of the largest in the wine world - allows the fruit to gain sugar while preserving acid levels that gives us the ability to make wines with minimal human intervention.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
Our family’s roots are from the Island of Crete, Greece and due to the rugged mountains and the farming industry, Cretans are known for their “Stivania” or Boots which are worn to navigate through the rough terrain. Our last name is Boutzoukas so the name “Boutz” Cellars ties in our family and culture to our brand. Our labels have a Cretan theme to them and most of the artwork has been done by Maria Boutzoukas, sister/daughter.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
You must be extremely patient. As fast as things are moving, in the big picture of things, winemaking is a very slow process.
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?
Small lots give the winemaker the opportunity to have a more intimate relationship with the wine during the wine making process as they tend to be less automated and more hands on. Our small passionate group gives a lot of attention to detail, giving the wine a chance to be its best.
How do you view the future in the wine industry for small-lot winemakers?
There will always be a desire amongst the consumer for small lot, craft wines. We see more and more wine merchants who sell only wines from local small winemakers. This is especially helpful for wine makers who don’t have a tasting room and great for the consumer who can go in taste and purchase wine from many winemakers they may have never had access to before.
If you could choose another wine region to work in what would it be?
Crete, Greece where the indigenous varietals are finally getting a lot of attention and rightfully so as with modern high quality wine making techniques they are now using. There has also been a revival of some ancient Cretan varieties. We look forward to being the first producer of the Cretan varietals in America.
For more information about Boutz Cellars, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram.