Kaleidos Winery
Get the Dirt from winemaker Steve Martell
“The word Kaleidos also means “beautiful form”. All of this embodies the wine brand Kaleidos. To me the wine is a beautiful product which I create by hand with love.”
What was your first vintage year? 2004
How many cases do you make per vintage? 300-700
Do you have a Tasting Room? Yes. Walk-ins welcome Fri-Sun. Appointments preferred and available 7 days a week.
What wine made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery?
Late 90’s Bien Nacido Syrah.
What varietals do you work with? Which varietal/wine is your favorite to make?
I make mostly Rhone varietals but I love to make and drink Syrah.
What vineyards do you source from? Why? If Estate, why do you choose your location?
We have an estate vineyard in the Willow Creek District. The site was chosen for the steep rocky slopes and the surrounding world class vineyards. For the fruit I purchase I look for vineyards that have the potential to produce premium quality fruit that are also sustainably farmed.
What type of oak treatment do you use? Why?
I generally chose to use about 30% new French oak in the standard Bordeaux 225L size. I also use 500L barrels for Grenache to reduce the oxygen exposure. My goal with oak is to provide the wine with elegant and smooth tannins and add subtle flavors and aromas of toasted oak, caramel and vanilla.
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
Paso Robles and the Central Coast are so diverse. You can find sites with micro-climates which are suited to almost any grape variety you are looking for.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
The name Kaleidos comes from the word Kaleidoscope. When I was growing up in Kalamazoo Michigan my mother had a store called Kaleidoscope which carried a lot of handmade, artisanal jewelry, artwork and toys. The word Kaleidos also means “beautiful form”. All of this embodies the wine brand Kaleidos. To me the wine is a beautiful product which I create by hand with love.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
How difficult and important the business, marketing, sales side of the business is. It’s not just about making great wine. You have to get it into the hands of the consumer.
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?
As a small winery I can pay attention to every aspect of the production and winemaking process. I actively manage every fermentation multiple times a day during harvest and can taste and keep an eye on every barrel during aging. When I was the winemaker for a larger production winery it was impossible to keep track of the process on that specific of a scale. Instead of barrel by barrel as a small winery, it needs to be looked at as lot by lot which can be hundreds or thousands of barrels.
How do you view the future in the wine industry for small-lot winemakers?
I think the future is good. It seems like the younger consumers are more interested in the smaller producers who put a lot of effort, passion and love into their products.
If you could choose another wine region to work in what would it be?
I really enjoyed visiting North Eastern Spain and the Priorat region and think it would be cool to work there.
For more information about Kaleidos Winery, please visit their website.