Today we’d like to introduce you to Colin Mcnany
Hi Colin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I got into the wine industry at 20 years old with a passion for fine wines after studying sustainable agriculture at UCSC. I traveled the world making wines when I was young, between Western Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Portugal. I then planted over 100 vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mtns. whilst also tasting wines on the judges panel for Wine & Spirits Magazine. After 10 years of working for someone else I took the skills and knowledge I had gained elsewhere which ultimately landed my wife and I in northern Santa Barbara county building a winery from the ground up; MarBeso.
MarBeso (kiss of the sea) focuses in sourcing organically farmed fruit in close proximity to the ocean, creating wines with higher acidity and lower alcohols, more of a European style. We do not add any yeast of bacteria to ferment the wines, rather cultivate the yeast that comes in on the fruit to ferment the wines naturally. We do not filter or fine the wines to evoke transparency between the expression of the vineyards rather than heavy-handed winemaking.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There is stiff competition within the wine industry. Everything has to be brilliant. Branding has to be beautiful, wines have to be exceptional. How do you stand out or resonate on the shelf with 50 other brands? There has and will always be challenges within the wine industry and owning your own brand. Bringing Marbeso to where it is today has taken over our lives. Being fully invested not just in “work” but your lives passion is a large feat.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My wife and I own and operate a boutique wine brand. This spands the bandwidth of design, vineyard sourcing, wine making, bottling, tasting and sales. We wear all the hats. The most important element we focus in is wine quality. Sourcing top tier vineyards for a complete portfolio of wines.
We specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Extremely balanced, linear wines full of tension. Closer to an old world style comparative to opulent fruit forward wines of the new world. For example, the Chardonnay coming out of the Sta Rita Hills is more Chablis in style (high acid and refreshing) comparative to buttery flabby Chardonnay. We are also known for our Magic Hour wine which is a fun, skin-contact wine never to be repeated. The label artwork stands out from our Marbeso brand image with a fresh stippled image of a wave. These wines are always selling out and make sure you follow us to find out what the next Magic Hour wine will be!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Great question. Fine wines will never go out of style. However, we are currently in an interesting trend with non-alcoholic beverages becoming very popular. Especially with the younger generation whom are choosing less alcohol or not to consume alcohol entirely.
Additionally, consumers are becoming more conscience of what they consume. It was easy to go to Whole Foods per-se, buy all organic foods and simply grab a bottle of wine without realizing how the grapes are farmed. Organic viticulture is imperative for our health and to be good stewards of the land. Unfortunately with a good portion of vineyards being farmed commercially, the land/soil is being compromised with herbicides/fungicides. They are depleting the soil of life and natural microorganisms. This is one of the reasons why we only source fruit from organically farmed vineyards.
Pricing:
- 2023 Chardonnay Spear Vineyard Sta Rita Hills $42
- 2022 Carbonic Pinot Gris SBC $32
- 2022 Pinot Noir Ascona Vineyard Santa Cruz Mtns $60
- 2022 Pinot Noir OLG Vineyard Sta Rita Hills $58
- 2023 Grenache / Syrah Sta Rita Hills $52
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marbesowine.com
- Instagram: @marbesowine
- Other: https://www.independent.com/2024/05/31/how-the-ocean-influences-marbeso-wine/
Image Credits
Corinne Cobabe Photography
