Before Sam Marmorstein moved to the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, he was a stock broker in Los Angeles, who's hobby was making wine. Sam and two of his friends (both of whom are independent and well respected wine makers) bought grapes and books on wine making. They cleaned out a garage to use as a winery and got to work. So, when Sam went on a bicycle ride through the Santa Ynez Valley, he was awestruck by the beauty and decided that to own land, plant grapes, and create hand-crafted wines, made more sense than life in the big city. In 1995, Sam moved to Los Olivos and planted an entire three acres making his Bernat Winery the smallest licensed producer in Santa Barbara appellation. Another acre was recently planted totaling four acres.
Sam is well known for his restaurant, the Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Cafe, which he launched within the same year that he planted his vineyard. Wine and foodare richly interconnected through his life. But what good is wine and food without family? In 2000, Sam got married and now has four beautiful children. Although Sam's story is not nearly over, this chapter has a very happy ending.Sam's virtues for wine-making: patience, understanding, and trust, carry through in all aspects of his business and personal life. His four acres are currently planted with Syrah, Nebbiolo, and Sangiovese. Sam farms his vineyard without the use of pesticides or herbicides. He feels that minimal processing and hand-harvesting ensures quality grapes that produce a wine that is authentic to its terroir. Sam's Bernat Wines may come from a small family vineyard, but they prove to have big intense flavors. Sam and his family invite you to taste for yourself.
The Beginning of a New Beginning
