Wine Soundtrack - USA

Founded officially in 2000 with their first vineyard acquisition, tucked at the eastern edge of the Russian River Valley, just south of Healdsburg, Merriam Vineyards has just become one of the region’s loveliest places to settle in and taste, in one of an array of gracious new spaces around the winery and grounds. With an extensive landscape, the Merriam family owns a total of 50 estate acres and farms 9 different varieties with CCOF and CCSW certifications, demonstrating their long term commitment to the land and environment. Their commitment to Bordeaux and Burgundian varieties reflects the foundations of elegant and balanced wine profiles that started founders Peter and Diana on their journey to becoming winery owners, almost 25 years ago.

Doug Margerum has been intimately involved in the Santa Barbara food and wine scene for over 40 years and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers promoting the uniqueness and quality of the region’s food and wine. Founded in 2001, Margerum produces limited quantities of wines made from grapes grown at their Estate Vineyard in District and at top vineyards from around Santa Barbara County. In 2014, Doug released the Barden wines, which focuses exclusively on the terroir of the Sta. Rita Hills, sourcing fruit from top vineyards in the appellation. Margerum strives to make natural wines that have individual characteristics and personality.

Our ultimate goal is to nurture the land, vines, and fruit in order to maintain the purest forms of each possible. As such, all of the most crucial work is done in the vineyard with a holistic approach.Situated amongst the beautiful Sta. Rita Hills, Melville is a boutique, family-owned winery dedicated to producing exceptional cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah grown exclusively on our estate vineyards. Originally a farming-only enterprise, our founder, Ron Melville, established Melville Vineyards in 1989 in Sonoma County’s Knights Valley. Melville places great importance on being an “estate” winery, meaning we work exclusively with fruit from vineyards that we own and tend to ourselves, in addition to controlling all aspects of making and selling our wines. Farming aggressively, yet carefully, helps encourage the vines to produce small amounts of intensely concentrated fruit.

Tres Sabores (“three tastes”) was founded in 1999 by winemaker and owner, Julie Johnson, to explore the ‘three savory flavors’ in every glass of wine: the taste of the vine, the terroir, and the good company around the table. The property is filled with growing history as olives and vines were planted here over a century ago. Today, the farm is a certified organic (CCOF) grower of Cabernet, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Petit Verdot, pomegranates, Meyer lemons, and Olives. We also raise Guinea fowl and sheep who serve not only as lawn mowers and the mobile fertilization team for the ranch but also ‘go to market’ and are served in some of the finest farm to table restaurants in the Bay Area.

A son of Santa Barbara, Justin Tyler Willett began Tyler in 2005 at the age of 24 with a few barrels tucked away in the corner of the Sta. Rita Hills cellar he was working in at the time. It was there, as the assistant winemaker, he honed his approach to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Here, Justin makes wines of clarity and poise wines lead with structure and persistence; they evoke confidence, focus and vibrancy. Justin is the first to tell you that these are virtues of terroir: they are not created in the cellar, but delicately drawn forth. The unique combination of marine soils, a long mild growing season, and cool ocean influence make this a truly wonderful place for growing pinot noir and chardonnay.

I started Verdad in 2000 making wines from Spanish grape varieties grown on the Central Coast. I, along with Mike Havens made the first commercial releases of Albariño in California in 2000. I planted Tempranillo in SB County in 1999 and produced a Tempranillo blend in 2001. I focus on making wines from organic/biodyanmic grapes, when possible. I started making Cabernet Sauvignon in 2014 and now produce a Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles sourced from certified organic grapes. This vintage I will also make a Cabernet Sauvignon (also sourced from certified organic grapes), from Santa Ynez Valley/Happy Canyon. Also, vintage 2022 I will be making a Godello made from grapes grown in the Tunnel View Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley.

Martha Stoumen Wines was founded in Sonoma County, CA in 2014 with the goal of recapturing a farming and winemaking culture that has all but faded away: a winemaking culture of patience. After 8 years apprenticing with minimal-intervention winegrowers around the world, Martha set out as a self-funded, first-generation winemaker to answer the question, “What does California taste like when we challenge the norm?” Our wines are made from unexpected varietals and offer new takes on Northern Californian classics. 98% of our vineyards are either certified organic or practicing organic or biodynamic farming. Over 70% of our vineyards are dry farmed, meaning we only use the water nature provides (which is tricky but very important in California). We look to serve nature and the people who live there, which for us is what expressing terroir is all about. Martha is part of the 5% of women in the CA wine industry that are owners and lead winemakers. She is proud of her stellar female-led team as well. Of the nearly two dozen wines Martha and her team make every year, blends and flavors change according to what nature dictates, but their desire to share the simple pleasures of hand-crafted Californian wine remains the same.

Fulldraw Vineyard has emerged as a leading family grower and producer of Rhône varietal wines in Paso Robles since the winery's first vintage in 2016. The winery is located on the west side of the Paso Robles Willow Creek District AVA on the California Central Coast. Dedicated to the use of organic and regenerative farming practices, site-specific clonal selections, small yields, gentle handling and meticulous blending, Fulldraw aims to capture the distinctive characteristics of the estate in each bottle. Here, Connor and Rebecca have harnessed agriculture, ambition, art and family values, dedicating their lives to the sustainable cultivation of Rhône varieties and to raising their young family.

Nabor Wines LLC was starting in 2015 with just two barrels but I still remain the sole employee. I began in a custom crush in Westlake Village and cut my teeth there for 3 years before the custom crush went defunct and I acquired all the equipment and moved to my own location in Camarillo. I source primarily from Santa Barbara County and all the associated AVA’s within that. The winery produces about 3000 cases now under 3 brands. The primary brand is Dusty Nabor Wines which makes about 1000 cases comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Syrah, Viognier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

It all started in 2004 with a tiny patch of raw earth and a bucket of grapevines to make a dream come true. Ground. Grapes. Grit. The initial goal was to produce Pinot Noir from these grapevines. “The best laid plans....” In the process of digging in the dirt, we learned the true meaning of terroir and its absolute vital role in producing premium fruit. Casa Dumetz is what brought me here, to this place. Starting in 2016, the Casa Dumetz label began producing one singular Pinot Noir from the Sta. Rita Hills. Each vintage explores a unique vineyard and clone within the appellation. With the 2020 vintage, we introduced a kindred Chardonnay to the Casa Dumetz label, sourced exclusively from the LaBarge Estate off Sweeney Canyon road planted on the western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills. If you know Pierre LaBarge, owner and vigneron, you know his farming responsibilities are executed with extreme care. We are beyond excited to be the sole recipient of the only Chardonnay planted on this property. Thank you, Pierre. Today, Casa Dumetz is the overall umbrella for our three labels, which includes Clementine Carter and The Feminist Party. The Rhône varietals are dedicated to our Clementine Carter label. Our principal multi-varietal blend is The Feminist Party GSM, highlighting our collaborative drive.