Only 5 ridges of this vineyard are planted in diatomaceous soil, and the wine is made from a selection of only those plots. Aromas and textures reminiscent of Austria.
Winemaker-owner Graham Tatomer has been working in his hometown of Santa Barbara since he was just 16 years old, fascinated by the old Riesling vines at Lafond Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills, said to be the oldest in California. . All wines from cool California regions are light, rich in flavor nuances and characterized by firming acidity. The most representative variety of that style is Riesling. Riesling is a one-of-a-kind white grape variety that perfectly conveys the character of the soil in which the grapes originally grow, the charm, power, focus and beauty of the original variety.
In 2003, Graham, who was fascinated by Riesling, studied under "Emmerich Knoll", one of Austria's leading dry Riesling makers, and experienced four harvests, cultivating the know-how of aromatic varieties. And the Knoll family became like a second family for Graham, who also taught him the fascination with Grüner Veltliner, an indigenous Austrian grape variety.
After returning to Japan in 2008, he established his own winery, "Tatomer", starting with the release of two single-field Rieslings, and later started cultivating Grüner Veltliner. Tatomar's upper class wines will be released in the 'Extremely Dry' style, rather than the 'Slightly Dry' that is currently on the market. Released in 2017, Steinhuegel is an entry-level wine brewed in an approachable 'dry' style. The rich acidity of the grapes can be felt in the wine, so it is delicious to drink immediately after release, but it is a wine that can be paired with meals and aged for a long time. The winery produces just 2,000 cases a year.
In 2014, Graham was featured in the American national newspaper "San Francisco Chronicle" as "the most notable producer now" and is said to be a pioneer of aromatic varieties in California and no one to the right. It is said