One of the first things that become apparent when you meet winemaker Sonja Magdevski is her insatiable curiosity. It is this inquisitiveness that brought her into the wine industry and the same eagerness and passion that is put into the wine at Casa Dumetz.

In naming the winery after Francisco Dumetz, a Spanish missionary credited with being the first to plant grapes in southern California, Sonja is paying homage to the heritage of the area. Heritage is important to her having grown up the daughter of Macedonian parents and although she was raised in Michigan, it was her summer visits to the motherland that encouraged her questioning nature. “One of my earliest memories was visiting Macedonia around the age of 5 and my aunt being sure to remind me (the US born kid), not to play with the Albanian kids. There was a large majority of Albanians in Macedonia and although the population was generally cohesive, there was an underlying tension and segregation particularly with respect to one’s private life. Coming from the melting pot of Michigan I didn’t understand why and it filled me with fear.”

Growing up that way, she always had questions about why things were the way they were and what it all meant. There weren’t a lot of answers because the topic was historical and sensitive, so she was usually met with “that’s just the way it is”. As an adult she continued to ask questions and pursued a Political Science degree as an undergraduate followed by a graduate degree in Journalism.

On a visit to California she fell in love with the area and settled in Los Alamos doing what was necessary in order to stay, including working in a flower shop and waiting tables. But it was freelance writing for an agricultural magazine that first ignited her passion for winemaking. When she originally delved into winemaking it was purely a personal pursuit with no intention of turning it into a profession. As she puts it, “I started in 2004 with a patch of raw earth, a bucket of grapevines and a sincere commitment to produce authentic, elegant and pleasurable wines.” 12 years later, she produces just over 1,000 cases of wine made up of mainly Rhone varietals. Despite her extensive academic studies in her previous pursuits, she chose a more practical form of education to learn winemaking including working at and learning from such respected wineries as Brewer-Clifton and Tensley Wines. She credits many other local mentors along with the outstanding quality of fruit that is produced in Santa Barbara County as the secrets behind her success.

In 2011, Sonja opened her first tasting room in Los Alamos putting the decision of whether winemaking was meant to be her full-time profession in the consumers’ hands. Two years later she moved into her current space and, let’s just say that the consumers have spoken. Sonja’s wines are sold almost exclusively through her Casa Dumetz tasting room in Los Alamos and if you’re lucky enough to get the opportunity to meet her, be prepared for a most enjoyable conversation filled with warmth, passion, and, of course, lots of questions.

Tasting Notes

2013 Roussanne

From La Presa Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, this wine was made in the very traditional method with foot stomped grapes. Lees stirring helps to give this wine a full body and lovely honeyed texture to the ripe stonefruit and minerally character of the wine. A nice acidity on the finish creates tension and balance.

Very Good  

2014 Mormann Pinot Noir

50% whole clusters go into this big Pinot Noir whose size is typical of many in the Central Coast. But not every winery can deliver size with this type of balance. Dark cherry fruit and cracked pepper with notes of baking spices and that trademark silky Pinot texture.

Very Good    

2014 Grenache (Santa Ynez Valley)

In this wine, 65% whole clusters are used. Candied red fruits of cherry and raspberry are delivered on a medium to full body. The texture is sensuous and mouth filling. We picked up notes of wild herbs and flowers which produced a very nice complexity.

Very Good+