Kimsey Wines
Get the Dirt from owner Bill Kimsey
“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.”
What was your first vintage year?
2012
How many cases do you make per vintage?
400
Do you have a Tasting Room?
Yes, Crush Tasting Room & Kitchen, 432 E. Haley St. Santa Barbara
If not you, who is your winemaker?
Matt Dees
What wine made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery?
Wasn’t a particular wine. Just had desire to make a real quality wine.
What varietals do you work with?
Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc
What vineyards do you source from?
All of our grapes from our estate vineyard which is in the heart of the Ballard Canyon AVA, just outside of Solvang.
What type of oak treatment do you use?
Very light to let the fruit and terroir shine through.
What do you love about your winemaking region?
We choose Ballard Canyon for our vineyard as it is an area uniquely situated within the Santa Barbara region for Rhone varietals.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
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.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
We wish we started earlier. It takes time to build a brand.
Most importantly, what's so great about being small?
Being small gives us much better control over the entire process from vineyard to bottle.
How do you view the future in the wine industry for small-lot winemakers?
Tough!! There are many great wines available today and its hard to develop a niche.
For more information about Kimsey Vineyards, please visit their website or follow them on FACEBOOK.