Using Old World Sensibilities with New World Stylistic Freedom

The oldest profession in California is not what you think: it’s most probably cattle ranching. And the partners of Alta Maria Vineyards, Paul Wilkins and James Ontiveros, have a long history in the ranches and farmlands of this part of California.

The Ontiveros family first came into California in 1781 with the Rivera expedition. Although their original land grants were in Southern California, they drove thousands of heads of cattle into the Santa Mara Valley, finally settling there on the Rancho Tepusquet Land Grant of 1837.

Today, much of the duo’s grapes come from that very same land. As a couple of kids in college, both studying crop and fruit science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, they bonded over an unlikely interest in wine. Paul’s family background in farming and James’ history of cattle ranching put them firmly in position to build on their knowledge of the land and growing things on the land, to arrive at a new calling: wine production.

For both men, wine grew into obsession and obsession became career: James as a viticulturist and Paul as a winemaker. Working hard and making sacrifices was not new to either, and they both became veterans in their fields, even at a young age. Finally they moved away, lost touch, and many years passed.

But the land in the Santa Maria Valley had a pull on the two men; the sense of heritage and nostalgia drew them back together. As the two friends re-connected on a vineyard on a hill in that valley, they decided to make the wine that was waiting for them all along: Alta Maria Vineyards. 

The artwork for Alta Maria Vineyards features hand-hewn iron nails used by homesteaders in Santa Maria before the Industrial Revolution introduced mass-produced, machine-cut nails.  Despite its lowly function, each nail is unique from the next according to the conditions in which it was made and the expertise of the craftsman. This craftsmanship is what Paul and James strive for in all their wines. In addition to the Alta Maria wines, the pair also makes Autonom wine, focusing on Rhone varietals and Native9, which is purely Pinot Noir. The wines are made in small lots with a nod to both Old World sensibilities and New World stylistic freedom.

With vine-growing and farming in their blood, Alta Maria wines reflect the pair’s shared affinity for all things homespun and honest and the authenticity of the Santa Maria Valley and a gratitude to the generations of California farmers and ranchers before us, farming the very same land 150 years ago.

All Alta Maria wines can be tasted at the newly opened tasting room located on Grand Avenue in Los Olivos. Though Paul and James have been making and distributing wine for years, they didn’t open a tasting room until late last year, with some fresh offerings on the current tasting list. It’s open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 2933 Grand Avenue, Suite A, Los Olivos. For more information call (805) 686-1144 or go to www.altamaria.com.