andrew murray vineyards is a family-owned winery located in los olivos , california .

nestled in the santa ynez valley ava of santa barbara county , it specializes in rhône varieties syrah , grenache , roussanne , marsanne , and grenache blanc .

andrew murray vineyards is one of the wineries along the famous foxen canyon wine trail .

andrew murray vineyards

copyright © 2014 andrew murray vineyards . all rights reserved . website by fertile minds .
andrew murray vineyards is located on the foxen canyon wine trail and the los olivos promenade .
hello summer thanks so much for visiting us at andrew murray vineyards . i am sorry about your…
save money : wine club members receive 20 % off of all wine purchases from andrew murray vineyards .
hello there . thanks so much for visiting our area and for wanting to visit andrew murray vineyards . …
as we walked out to the vineyards , victoria gave us a brief history of andrew murray and the winery .
andrewmurray _ 382 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of andrew murray working on his recently purchased bottle machine . he ' s putting the . . . more
andrewmurray _ 125 _ cl . jpg photo for a story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of andrew murray , a triathlete , riding his mountain bike through nearby , . . . more
andrewmurray _ 222 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of the sign to the entrance to andrew murray ' s winery . it was called area 51 before he . . . more
andrewmurray _ 441 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of andrew murray taste tasting some 2005 viognier from the tank . event on 4 / 9 / 07 in los . . . more
andrewmurray _ 585 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of andrew murray with his two children , his son , callum , age 8 , on his shoulders , and . . . more
from the santa ynez valley . andrew murray is the best of the lot .
andrewmurray _ 479 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of 2005 viognier , santa ynez valley , left , 2004 enchante , second from left . event on . . . more
andrewmurray _ 382 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of andrew murray working on his recently purchased bottle machine . he ' s putting the labels on . event on 4 / 9 / 07 in los olivos . photo by craig lee / the chronicle mandatory credit for photog and sf chronicle / no sales - mags out less
andrewmurray _ 441 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of andrew murray taste tasting some 2005 viognier from the tank . event on 4 / 9 / 07 in los olivos . photo by craig lee / the chronicle ran on : 04 - 15 - 2007 mandatory credit for photog and sf chronicle / no sales - mags out less
andrewmurray _ 125 _ cl . jpg photo for a story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of andrew murray , a triathlete , riding his mountain bike through nearby , watch hill vineyard . event on 4 / 9 / 07 in los olivos . photo by craig lee / the chronicle mandatory credit for photog and sf chronicle / no sales - mags out less
the grown - up wunderkind has had the very terroir he was known for pulled from under his feet . his parents gave him a loving boot out of the nest , handing him the andrew murray brand and the winery ' s equipment and assets , but selling the ranch that had been the site of andrew murray vineyards in the santa ynez hills .
for andrew murray , 35 , of the eponymous vineyard in santa barbara county , the answer is to lose the farm , flirt around with new vineyards and train for a triathlon . oh , and make even better wines .
andrewmurray _ 585 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of andrew murray with his two children , his son , callum , age 8 , on his shoulders , and daughter , estelle , age 6 , standing in front . this was in his barrel room . event on 4 / 9 / 07 in los olivos . photo by craig lee / the chronicle mandatory credit for photog and sf chronicle / no sales - mags out less
andrewmurray _ 222 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of the sign to the entrance to andrew murray ' s winery . it was called area 51 before he his winery there . he said it was called that because of the joke about sometimes this was not an easy area to find . event on 4 / 9 / 07 in los olivos . photo by craig lee / the chronicle mandatory credit for photog and sf chronicle / no sales - mags out less
andrewmurray _ 479 _ cl . jpg story on andrew murray , 35 , of andrew murray vineyards , who became a winemaker at age 21 . photo of 2005 viognier , santa ynez valley , left , 2004 enchante , second from left . event on 4 / 9 / 07 in los olivos . photo by craig lee / the chronicle mandatory credit for photog and sf chronicle / no sales - mags out less
it isn ' t astonishing at all if you know the murray family , tout ensemble ; above all , if you know how they trust murray ' s remarkable palate .
can i start by saying the wines here are amazing . andrew has an incredible
grape to glass tour grab your glass and join us as we take you through an interactive tour of our beautiful , state - of - the - art facility while sampling our current andrew murray vineyards wine flight . guests will be able to walk a portion of our vineyards while learning about rhone varietals and our unique terroir . the winemaking process is showcased from the crush pad to the tank room , finishing in the barrel cellar . learn the history of our estate - curtis vineyard and the backstory of winemaker andrew murray and how he discovered his passion for wine .
one of my favourite vineyards . have lots of good memories there . good wine , great dark chocolate ! ! !
andrew murray provides some of the best value bottles on the entire market in my opinion . we joined their wine club and it is very reasonable as well . if you have a chance go visit eleven in the town of los olivos . these winds are made by andrew murray as well and they are amazing and priced very well .
two topics make the normally quick - witted andrew murray hesitate and squirm : the higher alcohol in his wines and higher profile he received after the movie
sideways .
“helpful tip to those who may be confused : if you want to taste andrew murray wine , you have to go to the winery on foxen canyon . ” in 4 reviews
the sale , which closed in january , does not include the andrew murray brand name or any inventory . zahoudanis has acquired the 200 - acre santa ynez valley ranch on which murray ' s parents made their home , including murray ' s 42 - acre painted hills vineyard and mediterranean - style winery facility , located on foxen canyon road , adjacent to zaca mesa winery .
santa barbara wine maverick santa barbara is one of california ' s hottest wine zones , due , in large part , to extraordinary talents like andrew murray of andrew murray vineyards . the 32 - year - old makes intense but elegant syrahs , grenaches and viogniers that robert m . parker , jr . , says are
well worth seeking out .
he ' s also experimenting with screwtops ; by 2008 they ' ll seal all his wines ( 805 - 686 - 9604 ) . kiri tennenbaum
i tasted few wines from andrew murray this year than last , which is partly a reflection of murray’s move to focus his range . at their best , these wines – the syrahs in particular – deliver compelling quality and value , a balance that is frankly commendable in today’s market .
murray ' s family owned a 200 - acre ranch and vineyards , and before he was finished with college , his father entrusted him with making wine , and the young whippersnapper quickly mastered the lesser - known varietals they grew .
however , when he thought about a master ' s and then a doctorate , his father intervened .
there ' s your master ' s and ph . d . ,
james murray said , waving at the family vineyards .
introduced to rhône valley varieties during lengthy family travels in france , andrew murray traded his uc berkeley paleontology studies for uc davis’ enology and viticulture program . he pursued his new mistress , syrah , with an extended internship in australia . his tryst evolved into a full - fledged love affair with his favorite variety . after selling his vineyard in 2005 , andrew reignited his passion by selecting vineyards throughout the central coast to tease out compelling flavors from his flirty temptress . in the words of robert parker , jr . , “…andrew murray’s offerings are a breath of fresh air given their exceptionally high quality and realistic prices . ” do
andrew murray first got interested in wine during a family trip to france in his late teens . while touring throughout the rhône region , he tasted some viognier and syrah that knocked his socks off . it was one of those moments that changed his life forever… leading him to want to pursue a career in wine . soon , he was leaving his paleontology studies at uc berkeley to take on a wine internship in australia . upon his return , andrew attended uc davis where he received a degree in viticulture and enology , started andrew murray vineyards in santa ynez , and i guess you can say the rest is history !
in off years , when andrew was not satisfied with the grapes off his own ranch , the family bought grapes from nearby farms , and andrew forged his first relationships with growers . while the farming and winemaking all flowed from family discussion , everyone deferred to andrew ' s palate .
pere and mere murray had dreams of a continuing their restaurant dynasty and sent young andrew to a summer culinary apprenticeship . he returned with a resounding
no
to the career of a chef .
meanwhile , even as the elder murrays began a gradual handoff to their son , andrew chafed at collaboration . fran murray clearly realized that her son needed to make all the vineyard and winemaking decisions .
in the lab , we saw the brand new device which andrew has recently invested in which can test sugar and acids in seconds . andrew had been testing wines on his new machine all week .
andrew hosts an annual grape stop every october and the winery is also the location for other social events .
we were also shown the members lounge and library which houses andrew’s private collection from france . simply stunning !
a decade ago , murray was tagged as one of the youngest - - and most talented - - winemakers in america .
we really enjoyed our visit to andrew murray and want to thank victoria for being such a gracious host . the winery is beautiful and the wines even better . if you get the opportunity , i would definitely recommend paying them a visit .
the family of andrew murray , a well - respected california producer of rhône varietals and blends , has sold their santa barbara county estate for an undisclosed price to a new entrant in the region ' s wine business : santa monica real - estate developer john zahoudanis . murray , however , plans to continue making wine under his own label , using different grape sources .
to keep up to date with andrew and the winery , please connect with us on facebook , twitter and instagram .
absolutely loved our experience at andrew murray vineyards and tasting room . shellie was knowledgeable , friendly and attentive . the tasting room has been designed to lend itself to their new line called
eleven
. everything we tasted was delicious and we are now members . just received our first shipment and cannot wait to open up a bottle and watch spinal tap (
eleven
pays homage to this movie ! ) .
we had been to andrew murray on foxen canyon the previous day and had a poor experience . not so here . our first stop in downtown los olivos . shelley was great and very informative about the new wines from andrew murray e11even . the wines were excellent , and we purchased two of the cabernet sauvignon and one of the petite sirah . shelly was also helpful in recommending other tasting rooms in the area . . . thanks shelly ! be sure to stop by when you ' re in the area .
like most los olivos regulars , murray now avoids the restaurant and tasting room featured in the movie , now peopled by tourists . he says his core audience is still people who drove up the dirt road to his vineyards in the ' 90s and discovered him .
those are the people i make wine for .
2005 andrew murray tous les jours central coast syrah ( $ 16 ) murray ' s everyday wine is big and hulking - - at 15 percent , it ' s even more weighty than the 2004 , though it manages decent balance despite that . slightly floral nose , and there are bright red berry highlights reminiscent of grenache ( though it ' s 100 percent syrah ) along with more typical salty flavors .
if you are spending some time in the santa barbara area , this is a tasting room you don’t want to miss . andrew murray lives up to his rock star winemaker reputation and i am now a groupie . . – bella mcdowell – california : january 2012 – urltoken
a truly delicious g - s - m—grenache , syrah , and mourvedre , the 2014 andrew murray vineyards esperance does an excellent job in combining the flavors of this trio of grape varieties . this wine shows an attractive wild streak of leaves and dried fruits as it stays substantive and generous on the palate and in the finish . the lively red and black fruit pairs it well with grilled steak . ( tasted : may 9 , 2017 , san francisco , ca )
in early march , he was working with some of the best vineyard consultants in the area , among them ben merz of coastal vineyard care associates . merz oversaw murray ' s estates in the past and now advises him on which fruit to purchase . the plus side of not owning vineyards is that murray feels liberated from what had been pressure to use his own grapes .
now i can put more energy on winemaking and rely on relationships with growers ,
he says .
the land where the vineyards are located is owned by the firestone family and the winery was originally an art museum . andrew has taken out a long term lease on the property along with its 200 acres and renovated it . he has planted grenache blanc and roussanne and now has around 50 acres of rhone varietals including syrah , cinsault and mourvedre .
zahoudanis , who plans to farm his vineyards and make his wines following biodynamic principles , has hired winemaker michael roth , who worked at koehler in the santa ynez valley , and biodynamic vineyard consultant philippe armenier .
andrew tends to make wines which are approachable now but with the ability to age , and the winery produces 20 , 000 cases per annum .
this very pale rosé from syrah master andrew murray shows pink lady apple , cantaloupe and spun sugar scents on the nose . it’s very fresh on the palate , with lively acidity that cuts through the riper cantaloupe and other melon flavors on the midpalate . chalky texture raises it above many other rosés .
tous les jours” was being prepared for bottling whilst we were there . this is their everyday syrah from their vineyards in paso robles and santa ynez . they produce about 12 , 000 cases of this per year .
i ' m in my flirtatious period - - i ' m having affairs with vineyards , not women .
in the meantime , he can spend time with his children , 8 and 6 , and he can train for a triathlon . bicycling hundreds of miles allows him to meander among his vines and commune with them in peace , he says . riding slowly through the vineyards , he can examine the plants in some detail .
james and francis murray , andrew ' s parents , were successful owners of eight restaurants in the los angeles area . the teenage andrew sulked in the car when his parents drove him to a beautiful ranch outside santa barbara to gaze at a wave of sunlit rolling hills . james , a self - made entrepreneur , wanted to
retire
from the restaurant business , buy the ranch and , he announced to the family , plant a vineyard and make wine .
on returning to california , andrew earned his degree from uc davis and began planting vines in the foxen canyon trail . he has been making wine since 1990 .
i just walked in to try a tasting and asked to use the bathroom . apparently she didn ' t know i was there to do a tasting and sent me two blocks away to the church to use the bathroom . there were two other people there yelling out its a nice bathroom and laugh ! wtf ! is this the place you send your customers , i think not ! maybe they were all drunk but still cackling and sending people two blocks away to use the bathroom is rude and mean . i hate this place ! btw , we were coming off the foxen canyon road wine trail , and purchased a case each from 3 different vineyards . we did not visit andrew murray on the trail because we wanted to go into town and grab a bite to eat , and saw this andrew murray tasting room . i thought everybody was nice in this town until i walked in here .
he is between the 2006 and 2007 vintages : the earlier one with some of the grapes coming from the former estates ; the latter from grapes purchased from various vineyards - - with none of his former estate grapes whatsoever in barrel .
what does he think of the wines in barrel - - those with none of his original estate fruit - - to be released in 2008 ?
some vineyards i preferred to our own . some made me miss our old ranch .
andrew is a big fan of screwcaps but also uses diam corks . diam corks ensure taint - free wines , but are expensive ; more than $ 1 each .
2005 andrew murray esperance central coast ( $ 22 ) murray ' s southern rhone - style red is based around grenache ( 60 percent ) , with syrah ( 25 percent ) and mourvedre ( 15 percent ) making up the rest . his skill is evident in the blend - - it ' s dark and leathery , with broad fruit across the palate , plus pepper and cured meat overtones . the 15 . 1 percent alcohol is evident on the finish , but soft tannins help cushion the ending . available in june - july .
a few of them , from the great oaks ranch syrah and watch hill syrah , to a paso robles grenache promise magnificently big , single vineyard wines . ( the grenache will also go into eleven , a red blend . ) they are lush and opulent on the palate , overarched by a subtle and transparent elegance , in classic andrew murray style .
2004 andrew murray enchanté santa ynez valley ( $ 22 ) a white blend of 60 percent roussanne and 40 percent marsanne . it opens rich , with nutty flavors , but there ' s lean fruit and acidity to balance it out . the use of older french oak and malolactic fermentation rounds out the roussanne , without turning it oaky or too fat .
andrew’s focus , passion , and dedication to his craft , have culminated in what the wine advocate calls , “…one of the shining stars in the santa barbara firmament . ”
the reality of breaking up the business so that the older murrays could retire , selling the land and bequeathing the winery to andrew , hurt . over the course of about a year , a buyer was found . in january 2006 , the formal papers were signed . the elder murrays retired to the neighboring town of solvang . andrew was on his own .
andrew himself remembers an epiphany of sorts at age 15 while visiting the rhone valley appellation of condrieu and conversing with philippe faury , whose name is whispered in reverent tones by rhone lovers .
great spot to stop at while wine tasting in santa barbara . my family and i did wine tasting on new year ' s eve and packed lunch to eat somewhere along the way . we had originally planned to eat outside somewhere but unfortunately it was raining . instead we found a great room at andrew murray and it was a great find with great wines ! we even joined the wine club
andrew has been making wine for 25 years , yet is still only 42 years old . he grew up in los angeles and his family moved to santa barbara county when he was 18 .
fran , andrew ' s mother , says that from early on , he tasted alone . the son of avid cooks , he considers every block of grapes a spice in a
spice rack .
grape to glass tour our privately - hosted grape to glass tour will guide you through the pioneering history of andrew murray vineyards , the curtis estate and the production of wine from vine to glass . tours begin in our newly remodeled tasting room and continue with a walk through our vineyard focusing on our rhone varietals and a discussion of our unique terroir . the wine making process is then showcased from the crush pad to the tank room and finishing in the barrel cellar . tours typically last between 30 - 45 minutes , depending on the volume of guests and depth of questions . the grape to glass tour also includes a progressive tasting of our featured flight of wines . $ 18 per person . reservations are required . additional options include :
in addition to these wines , murray makes wines for oak savanna vineyard , including a chardonnay and tempranillo ; a syrah , sauvignon blanc and red blend for great oaks ranch and vineyard ; and a viognier for calzada ridge vineyard .
hello there . thanks so much for visiting our area and for wanting to visit andrew murray vineyards . i need to explain the no public restroom situation at our tasting room and every tennant of our building . we are not allowed to let anyone use the restroom , whether a customer or not . i wish it were different . we run the risk of getting fined or kicked out of our space if we allow anyone to use the restroom . i ' m sorry that you didn ' t get to taste our wines . i want to extend the offer of a private tour and tasting with me up at the winery on foxen canyon road , where we have great wines and views and 2 restrooms for public use . i can be reached at 805 - 686 - 9604 x105
victoria told us that andrew is meticulous about everything he does , but is also a very friendly and personable individual . he’s a family man ; he and his wife , kristen , have been married for almost 20 years .
i had pre - arranged a “grape to glass” tour for my husband and i at andrew murray on july 17th , 2015 . we didn’t get off to a very good start when we found ourselves at the area 51 production warehouse , rather than the actual winery . we were swiftly put right by the friendly vineyard workers moving barrels around with forklifts , and arrived at the winery about 10 minutes late . our host , victoria , was charming and didn’t seem too worried about our tardiness .
the three - month internship at capel vale wines in western australia lasted nine months , and murray quickly rose from barrel cleaner to assistant winemaker . he made his first wine there , at age 19 . to this day , the dual influences of french rhones and aussie shiraz inform his palate .
love am and e11even . the syrah ' s at am are hard to beat and 11 makes some great , fun grapes ( also , the only sparkling wine i love . ) helpful tip to those who may be confused : if you want to taste andrew murray wine , you have to go to the winery on foxen canyon . they do not taste it in los olivos . los olivos is the e11even tasting room . both are worth it ! ! but do not skip the am winery bc you ' saw they had a tasting room in lo ' . . .
curtis family was firestone’s private label and andrew continues to produce wines under the curtis label . the winery also oversees production of the jarhead label wines for firestone . one dollar from every bottle of jarhead goes towards the marine corps scholarship foundation which provides assistance to families of fallen marines .
the vineyards have an in - built drip irrigation system which is important due to the ongoing drought conditions in california – so much so that they are self - sufficient until 2017 if there is no rain . vines are trained on a vertical trellis system with nets below to wrap up the vines to protect them from birds . at harvest - time , grapes are picked between 11pm – 6am when they are the coolest .
there , he is planning to plant viognier and pinot noir ( murray loves the challenge of such a difficult grape ) and erect a
farm stand ,
which sounds like camouflage for a tasting room . with or without a farm , however , he ' s going to make wine as he likes it .
ine i tasted . his syrah ' s are the best in the region and the best i ' ve ever had period . i also really love his non - rhone wines in his e11even wine line . my favorites are the petit verdo and the cabernet franc . i usually don ' t like sparkling wine but his sonorous sparkling wine is super good . do your self a favor and buy andrew murray wines like i do . i love to give his wine as gifts to my friends and family . i am a proud member of his wine club and can ' t wait for my next wine club shipment !
we visited the new vineyard and the tasting room ( great upgrades ) . i had previously visited area 51 and subsequently joined the wine club . i went on this trip with the intent of finding more wine clubs to join—but never found anything as good as andrew murray , so i upgraded my wine club membership . we also sent many other oklahomans your way and will continue to in the future . we love your wines ( the rose was a sneaky hit this time ) ! it is such a pleasure for us to support you as you pursue your passion for wine . ” – todd blue . , – july 2014
he seems to relish the idea of being vineyard - less . he embraces the challenge to prove he is much more than the moniker of
the youngest ,
and that a winemaker can excel , sans estate . while the move astonished many , it was , like most of the decisions murray made , based on firm foundations .
the andrew murray wines are so great and now they have 11 wines . . . . love the petite verdot hope they have more production next year . . . sold out . . . but the cab is also fantastic . . . . the servers are always wonderful and knowledgeable . . . . . i saw a 1 star review from injae k because of the bathroom . . . . this is ridiculous . . . . none of the wineries in los olivos have bathrooms . . . . everyone uses the public restrooms in town or at the church . . . . so a 1 star review for this should be removed . . . .
i visit andrew murray ' s two tasting rooms every time i am in the area because i am a member , but i feel particularly inclined to write a review now because they have just released a new label called e11even . the wines are beautiful and unique . they only carry the five wines that he has produced to date . we especially loved the pinot noir and the petit verdot . holly did our tasting and she was so fantastic . . . she is very welcoming and knows a ton about the entire process of winemaking . we were lucky to be the only people in the tasting room so it was like getting a private lesson . thank you holly ! !
murray explained that his parents had wanted for some time to sell their property and move to a smaller place .
knowing that this was going to happen one day , we had worked with oak savannah [ another vineyard on foxen canyon road ] … to make sure we ' d have a great vineyard source in the future ,
he said .
it ' s an estate and microclimate that we are already well - familiar with . we ' ll now be getting syrah from there .
he added that zahoudanis plans to sell him some grapes
so we ' ll continue to have fruit from our original source .
murray will make the wines in a facility leased from the firestone family , less than two miles from his old winery .
the movie gave murray a small boost .
' sideways ' woke up folks within driving distance from los angeles and santa barbara who would normally go to napa ,
he says - - especially younger wine drinkers who are learning about his wines . still , los olivos is no yountville :
no matter how we ' ve arrived , we still haven ' t arrived .
had another great time here ! andrew himself was pouring wine out on the terrance ! great place to sit outside and enjoy the great weather and wine . cheese plate was yummy , and his first champagne is a hit ! ! refreshing after our dozen canyon bike ride . great customer service , best syrahs in santa inez , and nicest tasting room and members lounge .
immediately after the sale andrew leased an old brewery on the property of nearby firestone winery and installed a state - of - the - art winemaking center . meanwhile , he had quietly been making wines for friends and will continue to do so , among them oak savanna vineyard , great oaks ranch and vineyard and calzada ridge vineyard . there is also the consulting gig for le chene bleu .
the producers gave him the script to read before shooting ; and he concluded it was a story about two losers and a plot with nothing redeemable . which is why he signed the agreement to allow his bottles to be filmed and his wines named in the dialogue . it is a testament to murray ' s business sense that though he thought the movie wouldn ' t amount to much , he didn ' t think the product placement would hurt .
spanish - wine überscout patrick mata , who grew up working on vineyards in spain , didn ' t speak any english when he came to america six years ago for college . now 26 , mata , who co - owns olé imports in westchester , new york , is perfectly bilingualand dedicated to teaching americans about overlooked spanish labels . he brings in more than 60 boutique spanish wines , many from up - and - coming regions like yecla , in the southeast . a fledgling winemaker , mata is also launching bellum , a late - harvest red from yecla , which debuts this fall ( 917 - 335 - 7462 ) . lindsey whitton
we then visited the barrel room which holds approx . 500 barrels . andrew loves french oak and also utilises the curtis winery barrels which came with the property . he prefers oak from nevers and troncais with a medium or medium ( + ) toast . barrels are used for 10 years and most wines are aged in barrel for about 18 months . only about 20 % new oak is used so that it is not overpowering . the barrels lose about one - third of a bottle every 3 weeks in evaporation .
murray now joins the growing group of maverick , peripatetic winemakers who don ' t own land or farm their own grapes . perhaps as a measure of his coming - of - age , though , he has been hired as a consultant by xavier and nicole rolet , new owners of the former domaine de la verriere in the gigondas region and its neighboring area in france . their soon - to - debut label , le chene bleu , will appear on viognier , syrah , grenache and other rhone bottlings that buck france ' s hallowed appellation system .
about the 15 percent alcohol that is almost common in his reds now , murray passes on the blame .
i believe in low - alcohol wines , but they ' re not commercially acceptable .
he says his distributors began to express discomfort when he released a 13 . 5 percent syrah . and distributors , he says , go by wine critics . the fault is in the system , he believes .
if you taste a low - alcohol wine after an afternoon of in - your - face high alcohol wines , it tastes flat .
what a beautiful tasting room . this is right in the middle of town . let me start by saying how amazing the winds are ! we went here as part of a wine tour with a group of doctors from kaiser hospital set up by one of our friends . we love the syrah and his line of e11even wines especially the sparkling wine called sonorous which you really have to try . the e11even wines are non rhône varieties like petit verdot and cab franc and sparkling wine . so , even if you do not like syrah there ' s something for everyone ! so yummy ! i really do think his wines are the best in the region and the price is unbeatable . we joined his wine club and we love taking his wines to our friends because we love telling the story of how we met andrew murray at his winery and he poured wine for us and was so nice to us . plus , everyone loves the way his wines taste . it ' s a perfect price point for gifts and an every day wine to drink . above all , his wines taste good .
no , we’re not talking about a poisonous snake . with any of the above clubs , you can add a magnum of a special selection wine . what’s a magnum ? it’s 1 . 5 liters or the equivalent of two ( 2 ) normal 750 ml bottles of wine . andrew signs each bottle and they make great gifts or party bottles . you receive the applicable wine club discount on the effective cost of two ( 2 ) additional bottles with your regular wine club shipment ( typically adds $ 60 - $ 80 depending on club and wine , plus tax and shipping ) . so go ahead and strike now…add the magnum adder !
we also tried the 2012 espérance central coast gsm ( $ 25 ) made with 60 % grenache , 25 % syrah and 15 % mourvèdre , which is known as their signature rhône blend . the name espérance means ‘hope’ in french , which signifies the wine epiphany andrew had while in france . this wine is heavily concentrated with ripe fruit , sweet spice and a bit of oak . a nice blend for a great price . lastly , the 2012 terra bella vineyard syrah ( $ 36 ) from paso robles . this is a lovely wine with enticing aromas of vanilla , tree bark and beef jerky with dark berries on the palate . very smooth and tasty . to that i say , ‘sante ! ’ which is ‘cheers ! ’ in french .
window . _ taboola = window . _ taboola | | [ ] ; _ taboola . push ( { mode : ' thumbnails - c ' , container : ' taboola - interstitial - gallery - thumbnails - 5 ' , placement : ' interstitial gallery thumbnails 5 ' , target _ type : ' mix ' } ) ; _ taboola . push ( { flush : true } ) ;
window . _ taboola = window . _ taboola | | [ ] ; _ taboola . push ( { mode : ' thumbnails - c ' , container : ' taboola - interstitial - gallery - thumbnails - 8 ' , placement : ' interstitial gallery thumbnails 8 ' , target _ type : ' mix ' } ) ; _ taboola . push ( { flush : true } ) ;
the los angeles times , bon appetit and appellation magazine praised him soon after he exploded onto the scene with world - class bottles of viognier and syrah , rhone varietals that almost no americans were planting . by 1999 , when he was 27 , the chronicle named him a winemaker to watch .
in 2002 , two of his 1999 syrahs were recommended by the chronicle ' s tasting panel . in 2004 , food & wine magazine named him first on its list of tastemakers under 35 . in 2006 , the chronicle wine section awarded three stars to his 2004 tous les jours syrah .
i was famous for being young - - i got pretty tired of it ,
he says now , still recognizable as the geeky , tall , rail - thin , uc berkeley intellectual he was before he transferred to uc davis to study enology .
once the restaurants were sold , james purchased the ranch and moved the family to the santa ynez valley . then the murrays went to france to indulge their passion for fine food and wine .
we took andy along because he could translate for us ,
says mother fran .
we knew we were in trouble when he stopped translating and started having conversations with the winemakers .
the murrays , led by james , decided that they would grow rhone grapes in santa barbara because they loved the rhone , and because few americans were growing rhone varietals in the 1980s .
instead , he went to uc berkeley , where he flitted among english , archaeology and paleontology . when he wanted to switch to davis , his academic adviser told him to go to australia to catch the growing season in the southern hemisphere .
my style has the politeness of the french , and the brashness of the australians . i walk the razor ' s edge .
back at davis , he was happy to bounce around disciplines and avoid hard science courses . urged by his wife ( then girlfriend ) kristen , to complete a degree , he relented and wrote a paper to justify the courses he had taken ( in enology , viticulture and business ) in order to earn his bachelor ' s degree .
even during university and certainly afterward , the praise rolled in . in 1999 , robert m . parker jr . called the winery
one of the shining stars in the santa barbara firmament .
in the ' 90s , the murrays decided to move their tasting room to grand avenue in downtown los olivos , after they realized their remote location made them hard to find .
i literally matured - - physically , emotionally and professionally - - on that ranch . i grew up on it .
yet he is not maudlin about the loss .
when you literally spill sweat - - and sometimes real blood - - on a farm , it becomes very special to you .
more important , the capital that he used to plow back into farming can now be plowed into his new winery . what he used to have to spend on the farm , he can now spend on the larger , cutting - edge winemaking equipment and a bottling line . those vines , he points out , contain the early mistakes the family made as neophyte growers .
he used to think of his own estate in blocks of flavor , he says . now , with the freedom to pick and choose from the best in all the surrounding appellations - - santa ynez valley , santa maria valley , santa rita hills and paso robles - - his spice rack has expanded .
whether he is bottling a single - vineyard wine or a multi - vineyard effort ,
i am always blending . every cluster i choose for my single - vineyard wines is a blending of the grapes i pick . i am always blending for taste .
tasting and tweaking the wines in the lab - - and more importantly , once the blends are in barrels - - is now a daily ritual before bottling and release .
it ' s after the juices marry and sit together . . . i can get my head around the wine .
there are more changes planned . when pressed , he says that indeed he hopes to have a vineyard and estate in his future , perhaps on the farmland of his in - laws . terroir draws him back .
meanwhile , he knows what it ' s like to push himself to the edge , as he trains 70 to 100 miles on his bicycle . getting back to the land is a faraway dream , and he is pedaling for the long haul .
he adds ,
wine critics have killed softer wines . if they taste 50 to 100 wines at one sitting , the high alcohol ones will come out on top .
in some ways , he intimates , he can ' t argue with the results :
robert parker jr . has been generous to us . we certainly make some unabashedly big syrahs that collectors love .
his own heart , he suggests , lies with lower alcohol levels .
when asked about
sideways ,
he says ,
i thought 500 people were going to see this film .
a few other vintners dismissed the movie out of hand , and wouldn ' t sign on at all .
zahoudanis , who developed his love for wine in greece , where he grew up , plans to launch a new label named demetria estates , after his daughter . he also purchased ashley ' s vineyard , planted to chardonnay and pinot noir , from fess parker winery in 2005 and renamed the site gaia , after the greek goddess of the earth . ( painted hills has been renamed demetria vineyard . )
demetria will release its first wine , a pinot blanc , this summer , followed by a range of rhône and burgundy varietals and a white rhône blend called papou (
grandfather
in greek ) . the winery will also continue to sell grapes from the gaia vineyard to wineries such as brewer - clifton , david bruce and tantara .
to protect the quality of our conversations , only members may submit comments . member benefits include access to more than 315 , 000 reviews in our wine ratings search ; a first look at ratings in our insider , advance and tasting highlights ; value wines ; the personal wine list / my cellar tool , hundreds of wine - friendly recipes and more .
wine spectator is hiring an assistant editor at its new york office . get more details .
f & w ; names the 35 most fearsome talents in wine and food , all 35 years old or under : maverick artisans , renegade importers , ingenious activists , visionary entrepreneurs and one brilliant guy who knows more than anyone about chinese restaurants in l . a .
italian - food emissary in 1998 , jason denton , 34 , launched new york city ' s wine - bar trend at his tiny restaurant , ' ino , using one panino press and 10 carefully chosen wines by the glass . the formula , which combines an authentic and inexpensive italian experience with a fun environment and top - quality ingredients , worked , and jason has gone on to become one of the city ' s most successful young restaurateurs . in the past few years , jason teamed up with mario batali ( for whom he ' d worked as a waiter at po ) to open the roman trattoria lupa and the boisterous pizzeria - enoteca otto . in 2003 , jason and his brother joe , 29 , debuted ' inoteca , a bigger version of ' ino with a menu of italian small plates . like ' ino , it ' s authentic , inexpensive , funand a hit ( ' inoteca ; 212 - 614 - 0473 ) . ratha tep
e - food impresario a typical day on urltoken : members debate sydney ' s best places to eat , swap ethiopian recipes and , in the case of steven shaw , the site ' s director , critique new york city ' s haute per se restaurant . shaw , 35 , monitors everything from egullet ' s roughly 33 , 000 discussion topics to its debut web - journal documentary on the opening of grant achatz ' s alinea restaurant in chicago . founded in 2001 , egullet now has more than 15 , 000 food - obsessed fans on six continents . the site offers more than 60 cooking classes , an online food magazine and q & a ; sessions with culinary stars such as anthony bourdaina breadth of coverage that shaw believes is perhaps egullet ' s greatest strength . rob willey
urban food activists west oakland , california , is a low - income zone where the residents usually worry more about how much food costs than about whether that food is locally grown or organic . but the activists who founded people ' s groceryoakland residents leander sellers , 25 , and brahm ahmadi and malaika edwards , both 29are selling their neighbors fruits and vegetables that are inexpensive , pesticide - free and grown on small regional farms or , through a youth entrepreneurship program , in urban gardens . in september 2003 , after two years of selling from street stands , the nonprofit launched its mobile market , a refurbished postal truck that parks at public schools and churches and that now serves 100 households . people ' s grocery will further expand its neighborhood ' s healthy food selection with a cooperatively run natural - foods store ( 510 - 763 - 0328 ) . r . t .
midas - touch wine auctioneer when british - born richard brierley , 31 , first went to bordeaux 11 years ago , it was to study politics , not to drink wine . a summer jobleading moët & chandon cellar tourschanged his mind . after working at sotheby ' s , brierley took over christie ' s new york wine office in 2001 and shifted sales toward big - ticket bottles with quantifiable success : the average lot price rose from a few hundred dollars to more than $ 1 , 500 . in one of brierley ' s best moments , doris duke ' s collection , which included 17 bottles of 1921 dom pérignon , sold for $ 3 . 75 million ( christie ' s ; 212 - 636 - 2000 ) . r . t .
bbq biographer with a mini - disc recorder , a ready appetite and a 1978 ford pickup , amy evans is compiling a culinary history of the american south , one interview at a time . as associate director of the southern foodways alliance ' s oral history initiative , evans , 33 , travels through the south finding subjectswaitresses , pit masters , tamale makerswhose memories chronicle disappearing southern life . she ' s building an archive of materials from photos to audio recordings and making them available on the web .
amy is creating a record of a time , a place and a people ,
says her boss , food historian john t . edge .
and in 40 years we ' ll want to know about it
( urltoken ) . elizabeth alsop
gardening guru when 98 - year - old longwood gardens began showing signs of wear , tres fromme decided to do more than just repair the conservatories ' leaky roofs . instead , he incorporated brilliant new designs into the 1 , 050 - acre property in chester county , pennsylvania . while preserving the classical aesthetic of the gardens ' founder , pierre du pont , former chairman of both dupont and general motors , fromme , 33 , drew inspiration from modernist and postmodernist designers and architects like mies van der rohe . for the east conservatory redesign , for instance , fromme is bringing hedges indoors and adding a small canal with black - dyed water that reflects the colorful plants ( 610 - 388 - 1000 or urltoken ) . r . t .
spirit seer after five years of working in finance in moscow , and then returning to search out the best vodka , david katz , 31 , had a brainstorm : he decided to develop a vodka with the full flavor of russian vodkas and the smoothness american drinkers prefer . his recipe uses a blend of wheat and rye spirits distilled five times and water softened by five types of purification , from sand filtration to ultraviolet light . his zyr vodka , which is made outside moscow , has a lemon - zest aroma and a sweet aftertaste ; it ' s so smooth it can be sipped neatthe way katz prefersand it ' s served at places like new york ' s jean georges and brasserie perrier in philadelphia ( urltoken ) . r . t .