We aren't the only ones celebrating a 10 year anniversary in 2022, and we aren't the only ones living the good life!

Kimsey Estate Vineyard

Bill and Nancy Kimsey purchased 40 acres in Ballard Canyon in 2005 and planted the 22 acre Kimsey Estate Vineyard in 2008.  They had long searched for a site amenable to growing varieties they found most compelling, namely those found in the Rhone region of France; Syrah, Grenache, Viognier and Roussanne.  The development of this vineyard was purposeful, with a focus on caring for the land in the best possible way.

The Kimsey's hired the best of the best, knowing that Kimsey wines would always be small production and the business would not have a chance unless the wines they produced were of very high quality.  The vineyards were planted organic from the beginning and they continue to be farmed with out insecticides or pesticides.  The majority of the fruit grown is sold off to other, high end winemakers with only about 500 cases of Kimsey Estate wines produced each year with 2012 being the first vintage.  In 2012, the Kimsey's produced just 240 cases of Syrah (the flagship wine) and it received 94 points.  The wines have consistently scored in the mid to high 90's every vintage since.

Mail Road Wines

Mail Road Wines is a partnership between Michael Palmer (owner of McConnell's Fine Ice Creams) and Ron Piazza, owner Mt. Carmel Vineyard.  

In 1989, Ron and his wife Nancy purchased land surrounding a long since abandonded monastery of cloistered Carmelite nuns whose original plan was to build a monastery and keep a portion of the land for agriculture.  This fit perfect for the vineyard Ron had planned.  Within a few years, the 22.5 acre Mt. Carmel was producing some of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit in the state for a small group of Santa Barbara's most esteemed winemakers.  In 2011 after a late spring frost nearly destroyed the vineyard, Michael and Ron sat down to discuss the possibility of farming Mt. Carmel with the hope of bringing it back to it's former glory and building it's first ever estate program.   Mt. Carmel is own rooted, organically and principally dry-farmed heritage Chardonnay and Pinot Noir clones.  The result is Mail Road Wines.  Mail Road wines are some of the highest scoring wines in the Santa Rita Hills.

These two lables have more in common than just a 10 year anniversary.  They have the best of the best teams.

Vineyard Manager, Ruben Solorzano,

Co-owner of Coastal Vineyard Care, the Central Coast's premier vineyard management company. Growing up on a small ranch in Mexico, Ruben comes from generations of farmers.  His career in winegrapes started at the age of 19 on the Central Coast of California in 1989, humbly by pruning vines.  Ruben has established himself as one of the leading winegrowers in California, managing many celebrated estates.  With his preternatural ability to know not just what each vineyard needs but what each vine needs, and even deeper, what each grape needs to thrive and to give winemakers the attributes they desire.  This is why he is known as "The Grape Whisperer".

Winemaker, Matt Dees. 

Matt's interest in wine began when he was a freshman in college in Vermont, with a focus on plant and soil science.  While assisting a gentleman looking for help planting and farming his small vineyard, Matt was bit by the "wine bug".  He planted vineyards, made wine, managed a wine bar and tasted every bottle he could get his hands on.  At just 19 years old, Matt knew he wanted to make wine the rest of his life.  He traveled from Vermont to Napa to New Zealand and finally in 2004 received a job offer that would bring him to Santa Barbara Co., and ultimately to Mail Road and Kimsey.  Matt is part soil guru and a bit of a whisperer himself.  His method for making wine is to "pay attention to the wine that each site wants to produce".  It's not to say that winemakers don't influence style, they do, but Matt doesnt focus on style, his focus is on a place and it's vines.  

From a personal perspective, you'll never meet a nicer, more down to earth and humble guy.  Talk to him for 5 min. and he will make you want to love wine the way he does, his passion is that obvious and he loves to share it.

We are honored to share a 10 year anniversary with these two great lables and we are honored to tell their stories and carry their award winning wines.  Visit The Good Life to taste and purchase both Mail Road and Kimsey Estate Vineyard wines.

Cheers to 10 more years of Living The Good Life!