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Deovlet Wines
After college in 2004 Ryan Deovlet traveled to Australia's Hunter and Yarra Valleys to do vineyard work under a program to learn organic grape growing. In 2005 he returned home to California's Central Coast where he worked with Stephen Dooley and then as an assistant winemaker with David Ramey at Red Car winery. In 2008 he traveled to Argentina to work a harvest at Vina Cobo's with Paul Hobbs. Later that year he returned and determined to start making his own wine he visited Richard Sanford, one of the pioneers of the Santa Rita Hills to see if he could purchase grapes. After a lengthy visit Sanford sold Ryan enough fruit from his La Encantada Vineyard to make about 100 cases of Pinot Noir.
Since then, Ryan has refined his approach. He's dialed back on new oak and extractions and recently he has increased his use of Sandstone Clay Amphora's which allow for some for some oxygen but still less than Oak Barrels. (Stainless Steel 0%/Sandstone Clay 2%/Oak 6%/Terra Cotta Amphora 9%) He's also become comfortable being among the first to start the harvest. Most importantly, he has come to concentrate on the vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills to learn their ways. Specifically, they are the La Encantada and Sanford & Benedict Vineyards on the south side of the valley, and the Zotovich Family Vineyard on the north side.
2021 Deovlet "La Encantada" Pinot Blanc, Sta. Rita Hills
Ryan works with one block of Pinot Blanc growing at a lower, more shaded elevation. With the 2018 vintage, he began to age part of this wine in 500-liter sandstone clay jars (amphora), as well as steel barrels and one-year oak barrels. ML is blocked and after eight months of aging the wine is racked into steel assemblage tanks for another two months and then bottled.
| Sale $34.99 |
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2021 Deovlet "La Encantada" Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills
The sources here are four blocks, with four clones (Pommard, 115, 667, 777). Normally this is all de-stemmed and ferments are spontaneous. Aging is in Cadus and Chassin barrels for 16-18 months, 30-40% new. No fining or filtration. Production: 150-175 cases.
| Sale $58.99 |
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Samuel Louis Smith Wines
Samuel Louis Smith functions as a micro-négociant based in Salinas, California. Organic viticulture, mountainous sites, and minimal intervention in the cellar are tenets of these wines. SLS presents a compelling cross-section of California's Central Coast, focusing on High Elevation, Cool Climate, Mountain Grown Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay and Syrah. The wines are made in a neoclassical style where light handling, wild fermentations, and stem inclusion in the reds create wines of place and purity, aroma and structure.
2023 Samuel Louis Smith "Les Granitiers" Chardonnay, Gabilan Mountains
This wine comes primarily from the granitic "Coastview" Vineyard (86%). Situated on a ridgetop 2,300 ft up the Gabilan Mountains. , it's one of the most dramatically beautiful sites on the Central Coast with thin soils of decomposed granite with veins of limestone, producing wines with crunchy freshness and elegant structure. The remaining 14% comes from "Pelio" in the Carmel Coast, planted at 1,000 ft in diatomaceous shale, six miles from the ocean. Both vineyards are organically farmed.
55% malolactic fermentation. Native fermentation started by a pied de cuve from the vineyard
Alcoholic fermentation occurred in stainless steel and malolactic occurred in barrel. Nine months élévage in 14% new and 86% neutral barrels. 348 cases produced.
| Sale $36.99 |
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2022 Samuel Louis Smith "Escolle Vineyard" Gamay Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands
Escolle Vinyard is located in the northern section of the Santa Lucia Highlands, an 18 mile-long northeast facing bench in the windswept Salinas Valley. The mountainside appellation divides the Santa Lucia mountain range to the west from the Salinas Valley floor to the east. Incredibly cool climate thanks to nearby Monterey Bay, the pairing of granitic loam and new grafting's of gamay noir at Escolle is an SLH renaissance.
100% whole-cluster fermentation. Native fermentation started by a pied de cuve from the vineyard. Nine months élévage in 100% neutral French oak barrels. 193 cases produced
| Sale $33.99 |
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2021 Samuel Louis Smith "Sandstone Terraces" Syrah, Santa Cruz Mountains
Sandstone Terraces is a blend of Santa Cruz Mountain cool-climate Syrah sites with the common thread of sandstone-derived soils. It embodies the spicy, and floral side of the varietal. 85% whole cluster fermentation. Native fermentations started by pied de cuve from the vineyards. Nine months élévage in 5% second-fill and 95% neutral French oak barrels. 195 cases produced.
| Sale $32.99 |
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