2019 Tatomer Hinter Der Mauer White Blend, Santa Barbara County, California (750ml)   

About the Icons
A zippy and refreshing blend of Austria's flagship white variety, Gruner Veltliner (80%), and Dry Riesling (20%), but hailing from California's Central Coast. This sort of wine leaves us asking, "Why aren't more California producers doing this sort of blend?"

Graham Tatomer took a job working the bottling line at Santa Barbara Winery while he was in high school, just as a way to make some extra cash. He kept it during college at UC Santa Barbara and finally caught the wine bug when he made his first wine before graduating. Working with the local Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Syrah, Graham eventually discovered Riesling and became fascinated with how to make a great example of this delightfully aromatic varietal. Thus, he went to Austria and studied under Emmerich Knoll, one of the country’s winemaking masters. “Hinter der Mauer” is an Austrian-German term that Graham Tatomer learned while working harvest in Austria at Emmerich Knoll which roughly translates to “your back against the wall”. The room between the walls of the terraces of the vineyard and the vines he would work on was very tight and this feeling of having your back against the wall is something very familiar during the COVID-19 pandemic. This wine is an homage to his time in Austria working these vineyards and is expressed through these diverse sites throughout the Central Coast of California.