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JA N UA RY 24 – F E B R UA RY 7 | 2 0 1 5
W W W. S A N TA B A R B A R A S E N T I N E L .CO M
BEHIND THE VINE
by Hana-Lee Sedgwick Hana-Lee Sedgwick is a digital advertising executive by day and wine consultant and blogger by night. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, she fell in love with the world of wine while living in San Francisco after college. Hana-Lee loves to help people learn about and appreciate wine, putting her Sommelier certification to good use. When not trying new wines or traveling, she can be found practicing yoga, cooking, entertaining, and enjoying time with friends and family. For more information and wine tips, visit her blog, Wander & Wine, at wanderandwine.com.
The Art of Wine Winemaker Gavin Chanin in Lompoc (photo courtesy Chanin Wines)
Lutum is known for Chardonnay & Pinot
I
t takes some winemakers years to find their perfect balance in winemaking or their signature style, but somehow Gavin Chanin figured it out pretty quickly. In a short period of time, he’s established himself as a top Santa Barbara County winemaker, producing restrained, low-alcohol wines using grapes from the same vines notoriously known for producing bigger, riper wines. How? He picks his fruit much earlier than some other producers, as much as 4-5 weeks before, and takes special care
in producing terroir-focused wines with little intervention. Gavin started his wine career in 2004 at Au Bon Climat and Qupé as a harvest intern, before he could even legally drink! Over the next few years, he worked his way up to assistant winemaker, taking time off each fall from his art studies at UCLA to work harvest. He also spent time working harvests in New Zealand and South Africa, and traveled throughout Italy and France before returning to California to finish his degree. Talk about dedication.
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In 2007, at the ripe old age of 21, Gavin started his own label, Chanin Wines, while continuing his work at Au Bon Climat and Qupé. He managed it all before going out on his own full time in 2011. Soon after, he and Bill Price of Classic Wines LLC established Lutum Wines together. Like Chanin Wines, Lutum, which means “dirt” or “soil” in Latin, focuses on producing singlevineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Both wineries produce around 3,000 cases a year. Quite accomplished for someone who is still in his 20s, Gavin is not afraid to break the mold to make wines that most larger corporations wouldn’t dare to create. His wines are made without filtering or modern additives, roughly 20-30-percent whole cluster at Chanin and 100-percent de-stemmed at Lutum, and are low in alcohol. All of this has earned him titles like “winemaker to watch” by the San Francisco Chronicle, and one of the 2012 “winemakers of the year” by Food & Wine. I met with Gavin at his winemaking facility in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto to try some of his wines. He’s energetic and
easy-going, and seems like the type of guy who gets along with almost anyone. Make no mistake though, Gavin is driven and passionate about his wine… and it’s good. His 2012 Lutum Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay and 2008 Chanin Bien Nacido Chardonnay are some of the best Chardonnays I’ve tasted from this region – super minerally and clean with perfect balance. Coming from someone who isn’t a big Chardonnay fan, needless to say, I was impressed. The 2013 Chanin Los Alamos Pinot Noir has earthy and dark fruit flavors with a touch of spice, and the 2012 Lutum Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir has vibrant red fruit aromas followed by a nice lengthy finish. Overall, everything I tasted was great for drinking now, but these are all age-worthy wines. It’s true that Gavin has access to some of the best grapes from the Santa Maria Valley and Santa Rita Hills, but it’s undeniable that it’s his passion and gentle winemaking style that’s making a name for himself. Plus, his own artwork adorns each bottle of Chanin, which makes it literally a piece of art. Cheers!
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