Marc Piro knew he wanted to be a winemaker when he was nine years old. He sat in the crowded backseat of his family’s beige Mercedes diesel station wagon as they drove through the vineyards of Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley. Inspired, he announced, “Mom, I want a vineyard.” Her response was curt: “Well, then, get a good job.”

Marc grew up in Marin County and visited Santa Barbara for the first time when he was fifteen. From that moment on he knew he wanted to end up there. True to his boyhood promise, Marc fulfilled his dream by launching Piro Wine Company, a boutique label focused on his favorite varietal, Pinot Noir. As he puts it, “I strive to make old world style wines from the new world: extremely delicious wines of balance, elegance, and structure.” Marc has spent years traveling the world making wine under the supervision of talented winemakers in Argentina, New Zealand, Western Australia, and California. Margaret River, Australia was Marc’s favorite place… “That’s tough, every place was pretty awesome. But if I had to choose I would probably say my harvest down in Australia. I lived with a buddy of mine, close to the beach. We made wine and surfed.”

He now works with Jim Clendenen and Bob Lindquist of Au Bon Climat and Qupé wineries in Santa Maria. Jim and Bob are two legendary winemakers in the valley and they continue to help Marc perfect his craft and develop his own unique style of winemaking. Marc will celebrate his 16th harvest this coming fall.

Tenuta San Guido is named after the Saint Guido della Gherardesca who lived during the XI century. It is located on the Tyrrhenian coast, between Leghorn and Grosseto, in Maremma an area made famous by Italian Nobel prize winner Giosuè Carducci, and it stretches for 13 km from the sea to the hills.

Three are its defining characteristics: the Sassicaia wine, the Razza Dormello-Olgiata thoroughbred studfarm and the Bird Sanctuary Padule di Bolgheri. They divide the estate between the Padule on the coast, the horse’s training grounds on the plain, and the vineyards planted up to 350 meters on the hills. The latter have been given their own DOC, the DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, the first, and so far only case in Italy of a DOC contained in one estate. The vineyards of Tenuta San Guido cover approximately 90 hectares and are divided into areas chosen for the particular characteristics of both exposure and composition of the soil.

Climate is crucial for a correct and healthy maturation of the grapes. It is influenced by the sea and by the hills that shelter the estate from the inland winds.

The vineyards produce about 55-60 quintals (5500-6000 kg) per hectare. The farming system and the low yield of grapes per vine, give a product that is healthy and rich in sugar, tannin and extract.

Rooted in the hills of Santa Barbara County, Storm Wines emphasizes old world influences and new world techniques. The Mediterranean climate, diverse soils, and exciting new opportunities in this budding Central Coast wine region have combined to drive Ernst’s passion for producing his wine. You’re invited to experience the unique personality of both vintage and site in Storm Wines. Our wines are truly handcrafted using a combination of Old and New World winemaking techniques. They express the unique qualities our fruit embodies due to its local environment. South African winemaker Ernst Storm first came to Santa Barbara in 2003 after finishing his studies at Elsenburg Agricultural School in the Western Cape. He didn’t know anyone or much about the area, but he wanted to experience a harvest somewhere new and climatically similar to the Western Cape. “I wanted to work in an area where I was able to make more classically-styled wines. I set out from the beginning to try and establish a philosophy around a certain style and Santa Barbara offered that.” Classically-styled wines tend to be grown in cooler climates and are fresher, lower in alcohol and capture where they are from. Storm produces about 2,000 cases annually, focusing on classically-styled wines from sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and syrah. I asked Ernst why he focuses on small production and his answer was simple. “I am able to do most of the winemaking myself. Which I feel you can’t do anymore once you reach a certain size.” He expanded, telling me that “…if you keep it small, you can treat every wine you make, like it’s the only wine.” This mentality and dedication to craft is one of the reasons we started Argaux in the first place, and it’s one of the reasons we’ve enjoyed working with Ernst since the beginning.