Owner and winemaker Graham Tatomer has been working at a winery in his hometown of Santa Barbara since he was just 16 years old, and is fascinated by the ancient Riesling vines at Lafond Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills, which are said to be the oldest in California. .
All wines made from California's cool regions are light, rich in flavor nuances, and characterized by firm acidity.
The most representative variety of this style is Riesling.
Riesling is a unique white grape variety that conveys the charm, power, focus, and beauty of the grape variety, as well as the unique characteristics of the soil in which it grows.
In 2003, Graham fell in love with Riesling and studied under Austria's leading dry Riesling maker, Emmerich Knoll, where he experienced four harvests and cultivated the know-how of aromatic varieties.
The Knoll family became like a second family to Graham, and they also taught him the charm of Austria's indigenous breed, Grüner Veltliner.
After returning to Japan in 2008, he launched his own winery, Tatomer, releasing two single-vineyard Rieslings, and later began cultivating Grüner Veltliner.
Tatomer's upper class wines will be released in a 'very dry' style rather than the 'slightly dry' style currently available on the market.
Released in 2017, Steinhugel is brewed in an approachable "dry" style as an entry-level wine.
The rich acidity inherent in grapes can be felt in the wine, so it is delicious to drink as is immediately after release, but it is also a wine that can withstand long-term aging as well as pairing with meals.
The winery's annual production is just 2,000 cases.
In 2014, Graham was featured in the American national newspaper ``San Francisco Chronicle'' as ``Currently's most notable grower'' and is said to be a pioneer of aromatic varieties in California. It is said.