Winemaker Notes
The seaside town of San Simeon embodies the image of California’s Central Coast: rugged shorelines, ocean breezes, and the majestic Pacific Ocean. The mission is to handcraft every bottle of San Simeon wine to reveal its Central Coast origins. San Simeon grapes are grown on coastally influenced vineyards in Paso Robles and Monterey. Shaped by oceanic weather patterns and grown in rocky calcareous soil, each San Simeon varietal is bold and unapologetic in its intensity and craftsmanship. The Riboli Family has made a steadfast commitment to producing the highest quality grapes from estate vineyards in two of the most prestigious regions along California’s central coast: Monterey and Paso Robles. San Simeon Wines sourced from Monterey and Paso Robles estate vineyards are meticulously farmed to yield grapes with concentrated flavors and aromas and our winemaking techniques create unique wines of the highest quality and character. They pay special attention to the cultivation of their vineyards, confident you’ll taste the fruits of their passion in the complexity of their wines.
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.