When K&L Domestic Buyer Ryan Woodhouse stops a tasting and says "keep an eye on this winemaker," you listen. That was six years ago, and Samuel Louis Smith has been one of our favorite producers ever since. He makes about 1,300 cases a year across Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, and cool-climate Syrah from some of the most compelling sites on the Central Coast — all organically farmed, all minimal intervention, all genuinely outstanding. We've visited him in the vineyards, poured his wines at our tent events, and we're re-running our 2019 interview now that new vintages are in stock.
Read MoreUnder his Alfaro Family Wines label, Alfaro primarily produces estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, in addition to small lots of Syrah, Merlot and even a little Grüner Veltliner. His wines are delicate, bright and terroir-expressive; a style Alfaro has developed over time. “We used to do major cold soaks and tried to extract all of these different flavors. Today we tend to go the opposite direction. I’m making better wine by being more gentle with the grapes and trying to let them work on their own,” he explained. The results are pretty astounding. It’s no wonder he has a line out the door of winemakers who want buy his grapes.
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