Strong Silent Types

Three winemakers who speak volumes through their wines

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GENEVA RICO

If you were a vineyard, these are the guys you’d want as your biographer.

The wine business is rife with characters—some gregarious and engaging, others contrarian and controversial. We love them all, as long as they make good wine and take care of their growers.

While many Napa wineries lead with the names of their famous winemakers or highly paid winemaking consultants, our region, including the San Benito, the Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey AVAs, tends to be more understated. Our winemakers, accomplished and recognized as they are, do not seek fame.

They prefer to talk about vineyards rather than themselves. Without vineyards, there is no story to tell, and wine is ultimately all about stories.

Here are three confident yet understated young men who prefer to let their wines do the talking. You could call them strong silent types.

All have worked for larger operations, so making wine on a micro scale gives them freedom to dream big dreams in small batches, where the voice of the vineyard whispers in every glass. If you were a vineyard, these are the guys you’d want as your biographer.

RYAN KOBZA: LOVE FOR ODDBALL GRAPES

Nevada born Ryan Kobza took a path to the crush pad through the kitchen, working harvest as a diversion from cooking. He ended up making 100 tons of pinot noir at Sonoma-Cutrer, then interning at Chateau Montelena, while getting his winemaking certificate. A gig at Bernardus brought him to Monterey County, where he works alongside mentor and employer Ian Brand, making wine for others. His own Kobza label is focused on old vines and lesser-known varieties.

“I love old vine riesling and mourtaou from Wirz Vineyard,” says Kobza. Dry farmed, head trained and own rooted, the grapes were planted in the mid-1960s. “Pat Wirz treats those gnarly old vines like his friends.”

Kobza describes himself as a jack of all trades who keeps his head down, works hard and tries to be better every day. Each year is a learning experience, with new obstacles. “One of my favorite aspects of the wine business is visiting vineyards after harvest when the vines are shutting down, the leaves are dropping and the rain is falling. At the end of the day, it’s about enjoying those quiet, still moments and having a sense of pride of accomplishment.”

Two wines that define his style:

2017 Kobza Wines Crémant of Riesling, Wirz Vineyard, Cienega Valley

“It’s reflective of my love for sparkling wines and the complete handson process required to do it on such a small scale.” Kobza will continue to explore sparkling wines and is expanding his portfolio. “This one, in particular, is very approachable and delicious.”

2021 Kobza Wines Redwing Vineyard Riesling, Santa Cruz Mountains

“The Redwing Vineyard is a special spot for me. I’ve only had a chance to make a couple vintages of Riesling from here, but it’s an impressive site. The 2021 vintage is bright, citrusy and floral. I’m excited to release the 2022 very soon, which is definitely floral but softer around the edges and has a clean linen character that reminds me of cool climate chenin.”

KEEGAN MAYO: THE WISDOM OF PATIENCE

Keegan Mayo is the winemaker at Bargetto Winery, a day job that would rattle someone less composed. But Mayo, who was born in Hawaii and raised in the cool surf of Santa Cruz, lets nothing faze him. As assistant winemaker to Bill Brosseau at Testarossa, he worked in a 19th century multilevel stone cellar that brought out his inner MacGyver. Prior to that, he did a stint at Mumm while going to UC Davis. Working at Split Rail Vineyard for two harvests, while attending Cabrillo College, veered him onto the wine road.

“I loved working for Ron Thomasen at Split Rail. It sparked my interest and solidified it,” he says.

Mayo’s own label is Assiduous Wines and he describes his style as easygoing, but particular. “The most important characteristic of a winemaker is to have attention to detail and an artistic side, too. As I have gotten farther along, the more I lean on the art side. You lean on instinct, instead of intervention. I do a lot more cleaning and a lot less additions.”

Two wines that define his style:

2023 Assiduous Pinot Gris, Basor Vineyards, Monterey

“This is my favorite white: acid driven, crisp and fun to make. It’s just a little orange from the skin contact, which gives it more structure and mouthfeel. It’s vibrant and can go with lots of foods.”

2021 Assiduous Pinot Noir Volkmann Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains

“Pinot noir is my favorite red variety and this is so Santa Cruz Mountains; it shines. The site is a cool 2-acre backyard vineyard and I am the only one who gets fruit from it. I do 50% whole cluster and there is a eucalyptus tree nearby that adds a perfect tincture of mint. It shows who I really am.”

SAMUEL L. SMITH: SEEKING STELLAR SITES

If the name Samuel L. Smith sounds familiar, it’s because he spent eight years crafting solid, award-winning wines for Morgan. As a kid in Bakersfield, he cycled with his father through endless vineyards; it became the background movie of his life. As an undergrad at UC Santa Barbara, a newfound interest in surfing led him to choose a semester abroad in Bordeaux.

“I knew it was close to the coast, and that is was famous for wine,” says Smith. In France, he fell hard for haute cuisine and wine. “I realized it encompassed infinite learning, about nature and history and chemistry. And the art.”

As for his eponymous brand, “I work with stellar sites only,” Smith says. “My mission has been to make—and now grow—wines of aromatics and structure, from organically farmed, cool-climate, mountainous sites on the Central Coast.” Among them are Coastview, Double L, Escolle and Pelio.

The wines are pristine, low alcohol and acid driven. Some are ethereal. Others are like tightly wound steel, radiating tensile strength.

Smith describes himself as very detail oriented and goal driven. “I’m both passionate and perfectionistic, and a bit competitive. And perhaps most importantly, I’m extremely curious and love learning.”

Two wines that define his style:

2023 Samuel L. Smith Les Granitiers Chardonnay, Monterey

“A very fresh, fruit- and floral-driven Chardonnay from the granitic terroirs of Monterey County, with some of that salty minerality, of course.” From Coastview, Escolle and Pelio vineyards.

2022 Samuel L. Smith Sandstone Terrace Syrah, Santa Cruz Mountains

“Explodes with florality and spice and bright fruit, exemplifying both my style and cool-climate Syrah’s fitness for both cold and warm vintages.” From Nelson, Gali and Coastview vineyards.