Eric Railsback

cracking bottles and taking names in santa barbara co.

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll @VerveWine @LieuDitWinery @PresquileWine Thanks so much for having me. Great to me in the mix!!!! #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll Justin is my 50/50 partner in Lieu Dit so we make all the decisions together. We started things small in 2010 and have kept it that way so the two of us handle most everything except book keeping and compliance. #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll Tough to say as wine has been the dream job. Something to do with Food I guess....#SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll @VerveWine The most important thing we try to keep in mind is that wine needs to be made accessible to everyone while still staying true to our beliefs in how wines should be grown. Once you start making exceptions your business models changes. #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll @lylerailsback @lylerailsback kills it in the kitchen but I can take him with Baking. Most dinners he makes savory and I follow with desserts. #sommchat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll Badoit, Coffee, Coffee & Kolsch. Yes I put coffee in their twice. #Sommchat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll For BTG keep a good accessible offering of wines with different textures and weight. The goal is to offer a wide range of wines that pair well with the food not just your favorites to drink. Bottle selections you can play around more with price point and older wines. #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@robertbohr @SandyWasserman @dujac @JeremySeysses @rajatparr @lylerailsback Was a good one!!!

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll We like many of the same wines but release schedules are very different on both coasts so its hard to keep the exact same vintages. We are also looking to offer regional favorites for the locals so a lot more access to small growers in CA. #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll Love Chenin/Riesling and Gamay/Syrah.
Chenin and Riesling can be so different from dry to sweet and usually no new oak so they don't clash often. Gamay's juiciness and soft tannins makes its a go to for most things but an elegant Syrah can do the same. #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll So many places its hard to pick favorites. Austria and Australia are always on the top of the list though. Still haven't been to Lebanon yet....
#SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll There are 2 ways to do it. dans votre valise ou à la douane

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@SandyWasserman After a legendary trip to Spain w/ @dustinwilsonms I have been drinking a lot of Spanish wines from the Canary Islands and Ribera Sacra. Great value and complexity. #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll I think wines with balance are the wines that age well. Doesn't just take tannin and acid. We are looking to make wines that are delicious now but can also age. Balance, Freshness and a sense of place is the goal. All our wines can be found @VerveWine

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll The best part is that each day looks very different. Lots of email, Floor time @VerveWine , winey visits in SBC/France and time on the road selling wine. Travel is pretty heavy in the Spring/Fall but always looking for the right balance. #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll @lylerailsback and I started in 2015 w/ 2 wines. This year we have added Vermentinu to the mix and are playing around with making a few different red wines. We never really now the exact amount of wines till blending trials after the elevage. #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@SandyWasserman 2018 is looking great so far. Super cool and late pick dates so look forward to great balance. #sommchat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll @PresquileWine I am more working on building the winery up and how the wines are made not just particular wines. @PresquileWine makes mostly Chard & Pinot but we did just bring some old Beaujolais cuttings from Guy Breton over a few years ago so look for that. #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll @JeremySeysses I spent most of my time in the cellar with the team processing fruit, great to learn how they made their decisions. I nailed that gig down by grabbing phone numbers out of the revue du vin de France and 'cold calling' Domaines after service nightly. #drunkdial #SommChat

[Eric Railsback @erailsba]

@keepercoll I think at the moment I would like to see more of a sense of being "open minded".
I feel like there is more and more of a separation of opinions in wine and at the end of the day we should all be working together to get people interested in wine. #SO2 #SommChat