Domaine Magdalena 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
Land of Saints 2021 Sauvignon Blanc
Hope Well 2019 Pinot Noir “Sunday’s Child”

Domaine Magdalena 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

The Wine: Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine undergoes a spontaneous native yeast fermentation, before aging in 80% neutral and 20% new American oak barrels for 15 months. Soft with a high percentage of fine tannin, displaying a raw and wild interpretation of Cabernet Sauvignon. 13% Alc.

The Winemaker: Maggie Hedges and her husband, Christophe, planted 4 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon on their Red Mountain property in 2004, but the first vintage of Domaine Magdalena didn’t come about until 2014. As they’d built their house on that same plot of land, Maggie and Christophe were living in the vineyard while growing their family, and realized the healthiest, most sustainable way to grow grapes would be the only (and best!) option. With organic farming at the time offering little in the way of tangible guidelines, they decided to work toward Biodynamic certification, which they secured in 2011. The guiding principle of Biodynamics is minimal inputs, to allow things to grow as they would without human intervention, and Maggie’s philosophy is much the same. They think of themselves more as “fermentation management."

Land of Saints 2021 Sauvignon Blanc

The Wine: The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc was cool, slow fermented in stainless steel and aged on the lees. Medium-bodied and refreshing with bright green tropical fruit and a core of salty minerality. 12.2% Alc.

The Winemaker: Angela Osborne is a New Zealand born winemaker. Her dream of making Grenache brought her to California in 2006, and she sourced her first Grenache fruit from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard in 2007. A Tribute to Grace is her Grenache-focused label and a tribute to her late grandmother, Grace. Her winemaking intention is to stay as close to nature as humanly possible. Land of Saints is a collaboration with Jason Osborne and Manuel Cuevas with those same ideals in mind. The three are informed by their diverse roots coupled with their collective love for California and more specifically, their love for the vinous expressions of Santa Barbara County. Land of Saints wines symbolize their cultures and the wines that give their sense of place.

Hope Well 2019 Pinot Noir “Sunday’s Child”

The Wine: The 2019 Pinot Noir “Sunday’s Child” was destemmed and spent 10 months in neutral French oak. The resulting wine is herbaceous and full of dark fruit and tarry earth. 13.3% Alc.

The Winemaker: Mimi Casteel gained an appreciation for the industry while working in the vineyard and winery of Bethel Heights, founded by her parents Ted Casteel and Pat Dudley. After earning her degree and leaving home, she spent the following year working in various National Forests across the west, where her adventures fueled her passion for studying botany, forestry and ecology. Mimi went on to earn her master’s in science from Oregon State University in Forest Science, and spent the next several years working as a botanist and ecologist for the Forest Service. She returned to Bethel Heights in 2005 along with her cousin and childhood best friend Ben, and together they took the helm as second generation winegrowers and owners. In 2015 Mimi left Bethel Heights and started Hope Well wines. Her 80-acre farm is now an island of biodiversity and resilience, growing grapes for others to support the farm. She is resolved that moving from conventional to regenerative agriculture is the most powerful tool humanity has to reverse climate change, and her mission with Hope Well has been to help spread that message by example, one farm at a time.