Edna Valley Vineyard's Paragon Vineyard extends with lush geometry toward Islay Peak, an ancient volcanic plug that is a valley landmark.
Photo: Nik Wheeler
There's an offbeat, tongue-in-cheek humor, reminiscent of the Blues Brothers, that runs between Terry Speizer and Michael Sinor.
Speizer is the owner of Domaine Alfred in the Edna Valley, on California's Central Coast, and Sinor is his winemaker. It's hard to know what to think when Speizer ― a large bear of a man who speaks in a sonorous voice that reminds one of Dan Aykroyd singing the theme from Rawhide ― tells you that their wines enjoy listening to certain kinds of music.
"The Pinot Noirs like Gregorian chants, but they hate salsa," Speizer explains. Sinor nods in agreement, then adds, "They all hate salsa and techno." "They" being the barrels of Chardonnay, Syrah, and Pinot Gris behind him.
