Clospepe Vineyards: HOME

"We strive to produce wines that represent a time and a place. In a landscape where critics heap praise on 'heavy metal' wines more akin to fortified wine than a beverage for table, we believe that wine should integrate into a meal--we hope our customers discuss the flavors of wine and food and how they combine to make an experience. Great craft impresses not with an insistence that it be the sole focus of a room, but instead by its ability to integrate. I like to make wines that tell a story: a story of wind, fog, sunshine and the hard work of our crew. This vineyard has as much potential for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as we are willing to imagine and draw from it with passion and labor. In this sense I want the wines to be 'jazz' over 'heavy metal'--a reflection of craft embedded in an ever-changing environment instead of a homogenized attempt to kowtrow to the gods of concentration." --Wes Hagen, February 2008

Environmental sustainability: No herbicides, no insecticides, no restricted materials. Integration of livestock and animals for diversity and organic pest control: sheep for weeding/fertilization, all green materials composted and reapplied in the vineyard, owl boxes/raptor perches for rodent control, retired greyhounds for rabbit and coyote control.

Social sustainability: We believe sustainable viticulture is meaningless without a similar concern for the people that work on the farm. We think it's a shame that some farmers are more concerned with their compost than their people. Less chemicals means a safer environment to work in, it's true, but we also offer our permanent field workers medical benefits for them and their families. It's an expensive farming practice, one that's almost unheard of in agriculture, but we think its worth it. When we pour Clos Pepe wine, we can feel comfortable knowing that everyone who touched the vines, the fruit and the wine were respected.

Virtual Video Tour: Check out a shortened version of our Clos Pepe tour/tasting HERE. Thanks to John Lordi for the video production! It will take a while to load, but if you can't make it to the vineyard, this will give you the overview of who we are and what we do up here. Not to be missed!

Clos Pepe Wins a Green Award! Santa Barbara has awarded Clos Pepe Vineyards with one of only 4 Green Awards for 2007. Read more HERE.

Not Getting Your Allocation Discount? If you log in and don't get your Allocation Discount (for previous customers and those who've signed up previously), send me an email! Discount are also available for those customers in the wine trade.

Awards!: L.A. County Fair's 'Los Angeles International Wine Competition' (the largest and oldest Fair wine competition in the U.S.) released its results this weekend, and we did very well: GOLD MEDAL was awarded to our 2005 Estate Pinot Noir and BEST OF CLASS: Domestic Medium was awarded to our 2006 Clos Pepe Estate Olive Oil. The Olive Oil has been sold out for months, but the 2005 Pinot Noir is still available at the store, by phone or by order form. The 2005 Pinot Noir just received 92 point rating from redwinebuzz.com as well.

Rather Order by Fax? If faxing an order form seems easier than ordering online, just send Wes Hagen an email with a request for a faxable order form. Send your request to: wes@clospepe.com .

Shipping: Where are the wines I ordered? Simply put, we are very picky about when we ship wine. With as much time and craft invested in these wines, the last thing we want to do is have them bake in a hot truck. So--we have mostly stopped shipping for the Summer. We check weather each Monday just in case, but if you have a pending order you can expect it to ship after harvest when things cool down significantly. I expect most orders will be shipped by the end of October unless we're still pressing wine. If we choose the time to send your wine it is guaranteed to arrive in sound condition. We are always willing to ship on your request, but we can't promise the wine will arrive in the same condition in which it left the cellar. I was perhaps a little late in releasing the 2007 Rose' and some of the 2001 Library releases, as I fully expected to be able to ship them for this Summer's enjoyment. The Spring heated up fast throughout the country, and I have erred on the side of caution on most orders. Again, if you want it sent, send me an email, but we recommend Fall.

Pick-Up Policy: Picking up your wine may sound easier than it actually is, and that is why we recommend you have your wine shipped. The pick-up option is more for locals and those that visit often, as we find that a full 10% of pickup orders are never retrieved and take up more space than we can sacrifice. We are willing to cellar your Clos Pepe purchases for on-site pickup up to one year from release. That means we will hold your order to be picked up here at the vineyard for one full year from the February release date. We send out at least one email alert for pick-ups each year and offer two to three events yearly for easy pick-up: SBCVA Vintner's Festival Open House in April, and the Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Event in June. These events make sure that you have a chance to come and nibble and sip here at the Clos, and have an excuse to come and get your wine. It is your responsibility to set up a pick up, and wines older than three years past vintage date in February will be put back in general inventory. (For example, 2006 wines are held for pickup until February, 2009.) To avoid missing this deadline, we do recommend having your wine shipped on release, in the cool of February.

Want more video?

(Posted December 18, 2008)