Wine Soundtrack - USA

My name is Nancy Ulloa and I am the Winemaker, Owner & Boss Lady of Ulloa Cellars. Ulloa Cellars is a tale of passion for a dream and the manifestation of the hard work involved in the process. I moved to Paso Robles from the Bay Area in 2017 with the burning desire to learn the art of winemaking. For the last few years, I have gained an invaluable amount of knowledge from various respected winemakers/mentors who have eagerly welcomed me to this community. Fast forward 6 years, I am about to release my fourth vintage of Ulloa Cellars. Established in 2019 my journey started with the creation of my first wine, Grüner Veltliner. Backed up with lots of supporting vibes, Baby Grüner was a huge success leading to the expansion of my current project in 2022. With endless gratitude and humbleness, I hope you enjoy these wines as much as I enjoyed the journey of their creation.

Our family farmed estate vineyards harness the terroir of the SLO Coast, allowing our wines to express unique authenticity. Climatically our coolest site, Rosemary’s Vineyard tends to produce berries with thicker skins than our other vineyards. The resulting wines have a darker appeal, with a surprisingly light and elegant flavor profile. And because of the unique combination of cool temperatures and shaly loam soil, Rosemary’s Pinot Noir has higher acidity that provides incredible length on the finish. As the pioneering Pinot Noir producer in the Arroyo Grande Valley, we made our first wine in 1986 and planted our first vineyard in 1982. We are inspired by Burgundy for its unwavering dedication to wine that perfectly expresses place and time. Our location within California’s SLO Coast region imparts a beautiful mix of gentle sunshine and cool weather ideally suited for Pinot Noir. Talley Pinot Noir tends to be refreshing, energetic, and delicate rather than fruit-laden and oak-heavy. Our Pinot typically expresses aromas of forest floor and violet, cranberry and raspberry on the palate, and an elegant and silky texture.

Founded fifty years ago by Jerry Lohr and still family-owned today, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines grows, produces and bottles a full line of internationally recognized wines wines from its more than 4,000 acres of California Sustainable Estate certified vineyards Appellations Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County, Paso Robles and St. Helena in Napa Valley. Offering an expressive range of styles that showcase its estate fruit, J. Lohr creates eight levels of award-winning wines: J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, J. Lohr Cuvée Series, J. Lohr Vineyard Series, J. Lohr Gesture, J. Lohr Pure Paso Proprietary Red Wine, J. Lohr Estates, J. Lohr Monterey Roots and Ariel Vineyards.

In 1973, Davis Bynum first released his small lot of single vineyard Pinot Noir from the famed Rochioli vineyard in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. The first to produce single vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Davis Bynum was instrumental in bringing the prestige to Russian River Valley vineyards, still acclaimed as one of California’s finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir growing regions. Since 2007, the winery remains in the capable hands of proprietor Tom Klein, along with winemaker Greg Morthole. Through bold innovation in the vineyard and the cellar, his deft guidance keeps the winery moving forward, while never losing touch with the past. Today, more than 40 years later, the heritage of Davis Bynum lives on through the hand-crafted creation of wine grown exclusively in Russian River Valley.

Founded in 2003 and dedicated to Rhone varietals, Alta Colina farms 31 acres of steep mountainsides in the Paso Robles/Adelaida District. The combination of shallow, calcareous soils and a dinurnal temperature shift approaching 40 degrees during the growing season yield fully ripened fruit and balanced wines. We are a true estate operation—fruit is organically grown and wine is fermented/aged/bottled completely on our ranch. In addition, most sales are done on-site directly to the consumer. Our wines have received many accolades over the years.

Bob Cabral Wines was started in 2015 with the mission of crafting world class wines and giving back to children in need. We farm to be as sensitive to the Earth as possible by integrating practices that meld into the natural ecosystem of each vineyard site. Our goal is to leave this planet better than when we arrived. Our winemaking is thoughtful and respectful to the fruit that we receive. We ferment all varietals with the native yeast that are part of the natural flora of the grapes. The goal is to always bottle our wines unfined and unfiltered to deliver the most flavorful wines to our friends & family. Our small production lots are available to a private mailing list and some specialty lots are available only to Club Members. When purchasing a bottle of Bob Cabral Wines, you are not only enjoying “wines to touch your soul”, but more importantly you are part of giving back to all of our communities. By taking care of each other, we change the lives of our future and make this world a much better place.

Over 20 years ago, our Founding Partner, Tom Stolpman, discovered what we believe to be one of the greatest viticultural sites on earth. Hidden in the hills of California’s Central Coast, on a rare Limestone outcropping & unobstructed from the Pacific Ocean wind, this unique land is naturally suited to grow Syrah and Roussanne grapes. We are committed to preserving this natural environment for our vines through conscious farming, dry farming, & sustainable employment. In the winery, we prefer native fermentation & minimal manipulation. Dedicated to sensible farming & winemaking, we believe that we can create vibrant, site-specific wines, with a focus unique to Ballard Canyon AVA, California. Stolpman wines directly reflect the limestone soils and cool windy conditions of our Ballard Canyon AVA vineyard. Vines grow in conservative balance, receiving little, if any, irrigation. All work with the vines is done carefully by hand.

In 1962, Ridge made its first Monte Bello, and two years later its first zinfandel. Since that time, Ridge has championed single-vineyard winemaking, searching California for those rare and exceptional vineyards where climate, soil, and variety are ideally matched. For more than six decades, Ridge Vineyards has been recognized by top critics and our peers for our consistent quality and steadfast approach to winemaking. Ridge Vineyards is proud to have a team of skilled winemakers who bring their passion and expertise to every wine we produce. With decades of experience and a deep love for the art of winemaking, our winemakers are dedicated to crafting exceptional wines for you to enjoy. Sustainability is both a philosophy and a set of environmentally responsible practices designed to safeguard the land on which we grow our grapes.

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.

Camins 2 Dreams represents the routes and paths we follow to achieve our dreams. Camins 2 Dreams was founded in 2017. Our grapes are sourced from vineyards in Santa Barbara County with a focus in Sta. Rita Hills. Our philosophy is to make handcrafted, terroir-driven wines that are fermented with natural yeast and use minimal intervention in the winery, with only minimum amounts of SO2 at bottling. Our wines are also all unfined and unfiltered. We believe wine is made in the vineyard and we want to showcase the typicity of each site where the grapes come from. We source fruit from vineyards that share in the same values of respect for the land and their workers and works exclusively with organic, biodynamic, and SIP Certified vineyards with the goal for the next 2 years to purchase fruit from only organic, biodynamic or regenerative farming vineyards. We are a team of two winemakers, Mireia Taribó and Tara Gomez, wife and wife, whose paths first crossed in 2006 through our work in the wine industry. Our friendship grew through wine and travels, which also sparked our love. Our journey of friendship, love, and wine now continues as together we found our dream winery, Camins 2 Dreams.

Ampelos is the Greek word for vine. Soil. Vines. Wines. This is the order in which great wine is made. Waking up from the dream is the real belief that a farmer must know his fruit, and we are resolute in our passion to produce hands-on, minimally invasive wines that both whisper and shout about the terroir from which they are grown. Our natural wines are from the 1st certified organic, biodynamic, and sustainable vineyard. Our commitment to eco-friendly, natural farming and winemaking is evident in every sip. Coming from a life of corporate toil, a canceled meeting in the first tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, opened our eyes to the fact that we could no longer put our dreams on hold. Our new lives began with 15 acres of Pinot Noir and Syrah in 2002, then 10 more acres in 2005. We approach winemaking with respect for traditional winemaking practices and openness to experimentation. We believe that the journey is the destination and prioritize creating quality wines sustainably. Sharing the literal fruits of this journey is what makes us excited to walk into the vineyard and winery each day.