“We chose a vineyard in Templeton in the Paso AVA because we love the pioneering spirit of the wine industry in this area. For logistical reasons, we like the fact that it's almost exactly half way between LA and San Francisco. Also, Templeton is a quiet, unassuming little place. Nobody would suspect that world changing forces are at work here. By the time they realize, it will be too late. Enough about that, though.”
– Ray Schofield
Read More“Jean & Larry Rowe were both in the computer industry. Jean is a serious photographer and Larry spent many years working on digital media and entertainment applications. So, it was natural to think about color spectrums and related terminology. Jean created the tag line “Wine is neither black nor white. It’s always shades of grey” that perfectly captures the notion that winemaking requires constant attention to detail and continuous adaptation to the grapes produced each year.”
Read More“I specialize in Petite Sirah and blends using that grape. It’s just so versatile based on location, farming practice and winemaking style. I also use Syrah, Grenache, Tannat and Petit Verdot in my red blends, and sometimes as single varietal bottlings, depends on the vintage. I make a Viognier as well with grapes from the Caliza Vineyard.”
– Matt Villard
Read More“We wanted a label that exhibited understated elegance as we hoped the wine would. We didn’t find a name that felt right after a considerable search that we liked better than our family name, so we just went with that.”
– Bill Kimsey
Read More“The name says it all. We are all about family and this passion project is my attempt to integrate my wife and children into my daily life and, hopefully, create some sort of a legacy that they will want to be a part of as they get older. I want the smells of harvest to be one of the smells that they remember vividly from their childhood. The labels are just fun little works of art. Some people think I’m crazy for having such a weird and wild label like Boomshakalaka but I am far more focused on the wine inside of the bottle and letting it speak for itself.”
– Mark Ferguson
Read More“ I love that it’s still small in Dry Creek and a little below the radar for Cabernet unlike Alexander Valley. Russian River gets all the credit for Pinot. Dry Creek sits quietly in the middle growing more Cabernet than Zinfandel, even though everyone thinks of Zinfandel when they think of DCV.”
– David Scheidt
Read MoreI do everything myself. Every decision and mistake is mine to own. I can experiment creatively, take bigger risks and not have to worry about reporting to anyone but myself. — Alison Thomson
Read MoreSmall lot winemakers have the opportunity to craft unique wines that speak to people in an authentic way that big brands try to mimic with marketing, but can’t. Passion and enthusiasm come through loud and clear when small winemakers talk and customers feel it. — Patrick Kelley
Read More“ My favorite is Tempranillo. The wines are dark, full of tannins, and surprisingly acidic. When young they are fresh and fruity yet when aged have connotations of tobacco and leather. It’s great for blending. It’s very versatile variety and it ripens early!”
– Mark Welch
Read MoreMy Favorite wine to make is Syrah. I love the heady aromatics, black and blue fruit flavors along with the tannic balance derived from the fruit. — Richard Krumwiede
Read MoreTo paraphrase Forest Gump, pinot noir is the box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. I like working with the same vineyard over several years to learn what changes and what stays the same. — Phillip Kaplan
Read More“Volatus means flight in Latin. My background is not wine but as a Navy pilot. I flew FA-18 Hornets and Super Hornets for the Navy and served two tours as a TOPGUN Instructor. When I started the wine label I wanted something aviation related but not immediately apparent. Over the years we have made the Volatus label more and more about aviation and flight and the branding works very well.”
– Hal Schmitt
Read MoreBeing a small-lot winery allows for the kind of winemaking control that preserves the flavor and allows complexity. —Ross Rankin
Read MorePaso Robles is very special to us not only because the climate allows us to grow top quality grapes; but also because Paso is rich with honest and hardworking families. — Enrique Torres
Read More“We are named the vineyard and wines after our daughter Marin who was 6 years old when we initially planted the vineyard. She worked / played alongside of us as we developed the vineyard and she grew up with it. She recently graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo this summer with a degree in winemaking and has been our winemaker for over a year.”
– Duane Wolgamott
Read MoreI fell in love with the Central Coast while attending school in SLO (not for wine). It is beautiful and uncrowded. We have very good fruit sources all over but the Sta. Rita Hills (for me) is the most special – meaning few peers in the world for Pinot Noir. — Steve Arrowood
Read More“We fell in love with the industry when we lived in San Francisco when my husband and I were first married. We'd go up to Napa and stay at working vineyards. We knew this was something we wanted to do. We then moved to southern CA, and when we found our house in Malibu, there was a vineyard across the way and we knew we could plant there. We planted our first crop in 2001 and harvested from there in 2004.”
–Carol Hoyt
Read More“As an avid wine lover, I was constantly on a quest for something better. I wanted elegance, body, and boldness in our wines. I wanted wines I would be proud to offer to our friends and family. This led to a fun, weekend hobby that gradually grew into home wine making and then evolved into wine that matters.”
–Erick Allen
Read MoreFor me, it’s important to make a wine that reflects the best qualities of the grape clone, terrior and climate, rather than trying to create a wine to fit a specific market or critic’s taste. — Etienne Terlinden
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