Wine column: Central Coast winemakers pour in Sonoma
8th annual Garagiste Festival Northern Exposure
– On May 2nd, the 8th Annual Garagiste Festival Northern Exposure took place at the Sonoma Veterans Hall.
The first Garagiste Wine Festival, dedicated to small “garage” winemakers (artisans producing 1500 cases or fewer annually), was held in Paso Robles in 2011. Since then, it has expanded to include events in Buellton (Santa Ynez Valley), Los Angeles, and Sonoma. In 2018, USA Today’s Readers’ Choice named it the “Best Wine Festival in the US.”
This year’s Northern Exposure festival in Sonoma featured 35 exhibitors, including four from Paso Robles and one from Santa Barbara, highlighting terroir-driven wines from the Central Coast alongside producers from Northern California. This was the first time “out-of-area” garagiste winemakers poured at the event, and it was a great success!
The five Central Coast garagiste producers were:
From Paso Robles:
- Absolution Cellars (Dirk Neumann-tasting room in Morro Bay).
- Diablo Paso (Enrique Torres-tasting room in Paso Robles).
- Kaleidos (Steve Martell-By appointment Fri-Sun).
- Ruakh Wines (Samantha Mogull-By appointment).
- From Santa Barbara County:
- Tercero Wines (Larry Schaffer-Tasting room in Los Olivos).
These winemakers agreed it was a super event to attend. The audience appreciated the variety of wines, which stood out from those poured. Central Coast exhibitors highlighted bold, expressive varieties less common in Northern California. Attendees enjoyed speaking with winemakers and trying wines they might not otherwise encounter, such as Trebbiano, Albarino, Cabernet Franc, and warmer-weather Syrah! As Dirk Neumann from Absolution Cellars commented, “This event felt like we were expanding the ‘wine horizons’ of attendees, as it should be.” Sam from Ruakh added, “It was awesome to show off varietals like Roussanne and Petite Verdot, and the crowd was enthusiastic.”
Other comments noted how interested, engaged, wine-knowledgeable, and curious attendees were, and how delighted they were to compare wines from a different region.
The Central Coast exhibitors were excited to display and discuss their wines in a new setting, energized by the enthusiasm and interest they encountered, and they indicated they hope to return next year.
The Garagiste festival has become the “go-to” for discovering small, artisanal wine producers, where you can sip and talk with the owner/winemaker.
Please check individual winery websites for more information about these Garagiste exhibitors, their wines, and, especially, tasting opportunities, since many do not have dedicated tasting rooms.
Visit garagistefestival.com for upcoming events. The next event is scheduled for June 20 in Glendale, CA, in the Los Angeles area. Get your tickets NOW!
Cheers to all the artisanal craft people devoted to their passion and to the organizers of The Garagiste Festival!
(Note: Proceeds support the Garagiste Scholarship Fund at Cal Poly SLO for future winemakers).
Don Sonderling is a freelance writer covering California’s unique wine country lifestyle of wine, food, and adventure, from Southern California through the Napa Valley and beyond. He may be reached at donsonderling@gmail.com.
