Ampelos Cellars

Soil. Vines. Wines. This is the order in which we do business! Certified sustainable, organic & biodynamic. 805-736-9957 #sbcwine

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Join us at this year's World of Pinot Noir at @RCBacaraSB March 3-5 where we will be pouring a selection of our pinot noir alongside some amazing pinot producers from around the world. Click the link below to learn more https://t.co/pxeZs8nzSx

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Having a great time in Denmark: 12 winemaker dinners – 7 custom pinot noir blend sessions – 12 lunches and private tastings. Whew….now time for a short trip to Mallorca!

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Greetings from Denmark!

Back on my annual sales trip. So good to be back in Denmark and spend time with so many old friends, visit with family and meet new passionate wine lovers.

Gotta love this country!

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Guess, where I am heading? Hint: check the plane.

Time for my annual vist back home!

To the second most happiest place on earth! Finland beat us again this year...

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Great time with Kurt Russell at the winery tasting old GoGi vintages, sampling through new 2022 Pinot Noir barrels and after seven blends we reached the final one for the next vintage. Jami, Boston and Luke joined us and it became a day with lots of stories and laughter.

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

An awesome time at World of Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara!

Rebecca and I had a great time catching up with old friends and meeting new, passionate Pinot Noir lovers.

Always a fun time hanging out with winemaker fellows Mike Brown (Kosta Brown, CirQ) and Gary Pisoni.

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Time for harvest celebration with crew! Rebecca, Jesus and Chencho organized this amazing afternoon with Mexican BBQ under the old oak tree and plenty of “very-local” wine. Some crew members have done almost 20 harvests here. Heartwarming to share this special time with our team

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Harvest done so Rebecca and I went up to Napa to see our old friend Nico Cueva who is doing magic at Haynes Vineyard. Evenings at the awesome Harvest Host Dan-Dan ranch. Spent a day in Santa Helena and cruising/tasting down Silverado Trail and had crab in Sausalito!

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Really busy Sunday doing our pump-ower and punch-down duties at the winery - Matt and Jesse take the day off to recover.

Then to our new, part time home to Los Alamos.

Finally enjoyed an awesome sunset at the ranch – notice the rainbow to the right!

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Time to crush and our dream-team kicks in. Jesse drives the forklift, Rebecca guides him to rotate the bins, Matt will reload bins, control the stem bins, replace the full fermenters with new ones and prepare them to get back into the cold room and I check and organize it all.

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Great time at Matteis Tavern Kate Hudson concer. So good to see her getting into a musical career – and yes, she did awesome!

Nice break from rush of harvest for Rebecca and I and just relax an evening. Good to see Jami and Bob from Gogi Wines! Thanks Kate for the recognition

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Harvest time in Sta Rita Hills is on at full pace!

There is just something magic to the sounds, lights and comradery of harvest!

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Back in 2004: Sideways! This weekend here in the valley we were celebrating the 20th year anniversary. I had a nice glass of 2003 Hitching Post Pinot Noir together with the famous car. Gray from HP told me that Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh helped making this wine.

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Another wonderful day at the office!

This morning it was time to harvest our single row of Viognier. What a great way to start the day.

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Tractors are going with the strong led lights on - the boom box is playing 106.7 with traditional Mexican songs – Jesus is managing the crew to gently cut the black, tiny Pinot Noir clusters and Chencho is bringing them back to the picking bins.

Harvest at Ampelos is on!

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Harvest is coming!

Vines have reached full shoot length, clusters are done with veraison, sugars are rising, acids softening, vines covered with bird nets, tractors have been serviced, tools sharpened, tires on all equipment checked and now we are misting with Biodynamic prep.

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Great day in Sta Rita Hills. 50 winemakers tasted through 24 different 2023 Chardonnay barrel samples. What an amazing example of the camaraderie and collaboration here in the valley.

Look forward this this very promising vintage as it will be released over the next year!

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Bottling day earlier this week. Always a highlight of the year!

Great time hanging out with Kurt Russell as we bottled his 2021 GoGi Pinot Noir.

Wrapped up at the ranch with the team. What a day! Tired dogs….

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Quick visit to Mallorca to check out our winemaking project at Binivista.

Great to spend time with Søren, Julia, Marie and Kasper tasting through our 2023 Grenache/Syrah/Marselan blend. Very, very promising!

Feels so good to be back on this magical island…

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

So great to be back in Denmark! Right now on my annual trip visiting customers, doing winemaker dinners (and lots of them), hanging out with family and old friends.

Although it is cold and rainy here (Rebecca has 75F/24C at the ranch) I am still enjoying so much being "home"!

[Ampelos Cellars @ampeloscellars]

Back home in Denmark again! So nice to be back in my old home town pouring wines, telling stories, hanging out with friends and family and enjoying my most favorite city.