Garagiste
Garagiste, in definition, means; “vins de garage,” otherwise known as garage wine. The Garagistes refers to a group of winemakers in the Bordeaux region from the mid-1990s who made nontraditional wines easy to drink, ready to drink without long bottle aging, more like the Americans.
Red wines became big, bold fruit bombs with higher alcohol, while white wines integrated oak with residual sugar. The winemakers are unknown with no following creating a new niche in the winemaking realm. These wines may also be referred to as “super-cuvee” or “microchateau” and usually receive a high wine rating by Robert Parker, which drives the prices high due to their small lots.
Fast forward to today’s world, 2022, to be exact. Garagistes are a winemaking style with their festivals and their own set of rules. Garagistes are small production commercial winemakers producing under 1500 cases per year. The flagship festival began in Paso Robles and has spread throughout California. Garagiste Festival: Southern Hemisphere features Santa Ynez Valley Garagistes. Urban Exposure is in Los Angeles, and North Exposure is in Sonoma, with annual winemaker dinners and other fun festival activities.
On the Central Coast of California, a few of my friends may or may not be considered Garagistes. Still, they are small production wineries and produce fabulous wines alongside making wine for more giant wine conglomerates, but let us focus on the small lots for this article.
Located in bungalows on the Westside of Santa Maria are four exceptional winemakers that I consider Garagiste even if they technically don’t belong to the club:
Clarissa Nagy, CNagy Wines, and RiverBench Winery & Vineyard
“A pure expression of grapes from a vineyard celebrating the experience of Santa Barbara County.” CNagy began in 2004 with Pinot Noir and Syrah. Since then, Rose and Albarino have been included in the stellar lineup of wines. Clarissa became consulting winemaker for Riverbench in 2012.
Chuch Carlson, Carlson Wines
“…The resulting limited-edition wines reflect my personal affinity for the region, showcasing the distinctive flavors of standout vineyards in three appellations: Santa Rita Hills, Santa Maria Valley, and Arroyo Grande Valley.” After two decades at Zaca Mesa Vineyard and Winery, Chuck created his brand with Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and a couple of blends.
Lane Tanner, Lumen Wines
“Lanes wines were always more old-world in style and built for aging gracefully.” Her winemaking journey began in 1981, and she hails as the Queen of Pinot Noir in our neck of the vines. Lane now creates Pinot Gris, Grenache, and Chardonnay alongside her prized Pinot Noir.
Ricki Hill, Labyrinth Winery, and Tantara
“Passion for classic, world-class wines drives Labyrinth’s winemaking goals to craft amazing wines every vintage.” Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, and Zinfandel symbolize the pathway of mystery, secrecy, and enlightenment within the Labyrinth brand.
Join me on a wine tasting tour of these four small production wineries by calling Tours & Tasting by Eat, Drink, and Be Merry #805.608.0792.
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