A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US
Wine Snob* is a magical little winery in the heart of Somona Valley. We’re a husband (Ryan)-and-wife (Lindsey) team of two—the owners, winemakers, tasting room hosts, graphic designers, social media managers, clean-up crew . . . you get the idea. We love it, and we’ve made it one of our life goals to make some of the best wines on Earth. Period.We source grapes from the highest-quality organic and sustainably farmed vineyards in Sonoma Valley and the surrounding areas and work with amazing growers who use only the best farming practices. No genetic engineering. No synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides. We monitor the grapes throughout the growing season and harvest right when we think the grapes are at perfect ripeness. Then we practice minimal intervention to create clean, unadulterated, delicious wines that show off the characteristics of the vineyards they were born in. And we choose to price our wines so that they taste above their price point, because we want our customers to enjoy outstanding wine at a good value.
The Owl
We also like to have a little fun, as you can probably tell by our logo . . . the owl with the attitude. He’s our Wine Snob* ambassador. He does a pretty good job, don’t you think? That feather-do, that bowtie. Especially that eye-roll. In addition to having yummy, top-notch wine, it’s nice to have a pretty label, too. So, thank you, feathered friend, for gracing us all with your presence.
What the owl is trying to say is, you don’t have to be a know-it-all to enjoy wine. You don’t need to use words like “velvety tannins” and “hint of lychee on the nose,” or even know what those words mean, to decide if you like a wine. And there’s no wrong answer to the question, “What do you think about this wine?” The only thing that matters is if YOU like it. That’s why we’re Wine Snob* with an asterisk: Your taste buds. Your rules. After all, nobody else has your taste buds, so no wine “expert” can tell you what you’re tasting or if you should like it. The owl is also a nod to sustainability and organics in the vineyard.
To Snob or Not to Snob?
That’s not to say you shouldn’t be picky when it comes to wine. We certainly are. And it can be pretty fun to analyze, or over-analyze, those velvety tannins when you feel the delicious texture of a rich, dark red wine roll across your tongue as flavors of cherry and raspberry give way to a chocolatey or peppery finish. It’s fun to embrace that inner wine snob, but don’t be surprised if you get a funny look if you say, for example, that our Sangiovese has a subtle note of leather saddle. Most likely, no one around you knows what the heck you’re talking about. After all, they didn’t go saddle-licking with you last weekend.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is, we want maximum quality for every wine we make so that we produce wines we’re excited to share with our friends around a camp fire or enjoy with family at our favorite meals. We love our wines, and we think you will, too.
So come in for a visit and give our wines a try! At our tasting room in Glen Ellen, all of the tastings are hosted by one of us. We’ll happily tell you all about each of the wines we pour for you—where the grapes were grown, how we made the wine, the flavors we love, and the story that makes each wine unique. We’ll go down the rabbit hole and discuss tannins (did you know they serve as a defense mechanism for plants?) or how American oak barrels tend to impart coconut flavors into wine while French oak imparts vanilla. We’re here for it! Or, if you just want to chill and sip on pure deliciousness without all the nitty-gritty wine talk, we’re here for that, too! Either way, we can’t wait to introduce you to our wines.
OUR WINES
Our wines are available for purchase in our tasting room in Glen Ellen, California. If you’d like to have wine shipped, please contact us at 707-931-8424 or email ryan@snobbyowl.com. Please see our Shipping and Returns page for our general rates or our Club page for special club member rates.2022 Kühlbird
At 3am on an early September morning, we drove to northern Mendocino County to hand-harvest three tons of delicious organic Gewürztraminer, and came home with…nothing. The grapes weren't quite ready. We checked again the next day. Still not ready. But it was go-time the next morning, and we happily hauled our grapes home as the sun rose over the rugged Mendocino hills. By harvesting the grapes at an early stage of ripening, we captured the bright, crisp acidity optimal for a sparkling wine. Next, we used the “méthode champenoise,” opting not to add a dosage, to create this delicious bubbly. Perfect for celebrating after a bit of hard work! Prost!
2023 Sauvignon Blanc
Ever had wine made from grapes in a vineyard edged by pear trees? Here’s your chance! This Sauvignon Blanc has notes of pear, lime, guava, and fresh-cut grass. It’s light, happy, and ready for summer!
2023 Flora
Chances are, this is your first foray into the fantastic world of Flora. We think it’ll be fun. Stainless-steel fermented, this unique hybrid grape makes a wine that’s fresh, feisty, and a little bit floral. Think zesty tangelo and a flash of honeysuckle. Frankly, we think it’s fabulous.
2023 Rhôsé
So, you like rosé? Dry, crisp, pretty rosé? Grapefruit-y, watermelon-y, rosebud-y rosé? Pacific-breeze, Sonoma-sun rosé? Springtime, summertime, all-year-round-time rosé? So do we. Cheers!
2020 Pinot Noir
We thought we knew what a moody Pinot was.
Then along came this beauty, so delicate yet strong.
Black cherry and tea, raspberry and peony...
“We love you! We love you!” we sang all night long.
We thought we were friends;
we thought she loved us!
But, “don’t call me, I’ll call you,”
was her only response.
2022 Puma-X
We’ve been fortunate to have frequent sightings of three magnificent mountain lions on our Wine Snob* vineyard trail camera as part of the Living with Lions project. We’ve now seen a fourth in a rare daytime sighting, and we decided to name this wine made from 100% Counoise, a rare grape, in honor of her and all of the undiscovered pumas whose space we’re sharing.
2021 Carménère
The name of the Carménère grape is derived from the French word “carmin,” which means crimson, and that about sums it up. Bright crimson autumn leaves on the vines. Deep crimson hue in the glass. And lingering crimson aromas and flavors—think raspberry sauce and ripe cherries—with hints of peppercorn, vanilla, and granite. Carménère vines are scarce in California, but we found a single row tucked into a beautiful vineyard in Glen Ellen. Yep, just one red row, but lucky you, we’re in the mood to share!
2022 Puma-13
Puma-13 was the thirteenth mountain lion tracked in the North Bay by Living with Lions, a mountain lion research and education project. He started popping by our property for a photo op on our trail camera every couple of weeks. Despite 2022’s crazy summer drought and heat followed by some serious rain, we brought in six tons of delicious Malbec from a vineyard just down the road, in the southern part of P13’s territory. After fermentation and racking, we ended up with 13 barrels of this stellar wine and decided it would be the perfect homage to P13. With smooth notes of blackberry and vanilla, and a hint of raspberry and cocoa, this wine showcases the superstar that was P13. Really, just look at that glamour shot!
2020 Lorenzo
The story goes that Linz’s grandpa used to help her great-grandpa make wine in the basement of their house way up in northern Wisconsin in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Nobody’s sure what kind of grapes were used, but they came on a train all the way from California. We’ve picked up where they left off, and we want to say cheers to her Italian roots and bit of family winemaking history with this wine of 100% Sangiovese, a quintessential Italian grape. Salute!
2019 (T)rebelrouser
So, a bunch of raspberries are hanging out when it suddenly starts raining blueberries and cherries - they’re everywhere! The berries all huddle together until the downpour subsides into tiny chocolate sprinkles. As the berries gather up the sprinkles, a peppercorn falls from the sky and bursts into a glitter shower of black and white pepper. Then the sun comes out and everyone’s happy. That’s what this wine tastes like.
2022 Zinfandot
This is the Zin you wished you were getting every time you ordered a Zin. Dark chocolate-covered cherry, juicy raspberry, spicy black pepper, and a soft touch of lilac. Wow.
2019 Puma-5
After the Wine Snob* vineyard trail camera captured a photo of Puma-5, the fifth mountain lion tagged for tracking by Audubon Canyon Ranch’s mountain lion research and education project, Living With Lions, we were inspired to create this Bordeaux-style blend and help support the project. The blend consists of five varietals (66% Cabernet Sauvignon + 22% Merlot + 11% Petit Verdot + .5% Cabernet Franc + .5% Malbec) from five Sonoma Valley vineyards within P5’s roaming territory. A portion of the proceeds from every bottle sold will be donated to Living With Lions.
Night Owl
What do we have here? A perfect little nightcap. This beautifully smooth, rich ruby dessert wine is made with Zinfandel from 100-year-old vines and has hints of blackberry, black cherry, and spice. Sip it under the stars with the other night owls.
WHAT'S NEXT
Follow @snobbyowl on Instagram and Facebook to find out!CONTACT US
If you have questions, comments, or trade inquiries, please email Ryan at ryan@snobbyowl.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
