THE COLOR OF WINE BY URBANVINO

Raymond Smith, founder and winemaker of Indigené Cellars, is the coolest guy in the business. Ray is an OG who started in wine 30 years ago on the central coast in Paso Robles, California. Born and raised in Oakland, Ray is the middle child with eight siblings and, as he tells it, the worst one growing up. He’s a well-educated, sincere, and gentle guy with the warmest of hearts.

Ray cut his teeth in wine working for an old-school Italian wine producer, learning the ins and out of the technical side of wine. He later founded a mobile bottling line on the central coast and built up his business to service hundreds of customers over the years. As he grew his base, he slowly built his knowledge of winemaking and production, building a loyal fan base—a community of wine professionals who learned to trust and rely on one another. As Raymond told his story, he shared multiple instances of his wine comrades surprising him with his first AP so he could begin creating his own wine, not just helping others. He shared how his friend in wine invited him to lunch one day. As they caught up, his friend shared that he was committing to paying Ray’s daughter’s college tuition as a gesture of appreciation and genuine kindness. These stories are not uncommon and reveal the beautiful side of being a winemaker and living in a farming community where hard-working people respect and look after one another. It is easy to project the struggle, the slights, and the inconsideration. Still, the other side of all this is a smiling and open community ready to assist and lend a hand when they see a newbie anxious to learn and contribute.

Indigené Cellars was born in 2008 and still going strong, mostly selling direct to consumer, and recently opened a tasting room in downtown Paso Robles where wine lovers can schedule a private tasting with Ray and walk through many of the side-by-side vineyard designated wines. Ray loves to share his knowledge of the soil, terroir, growing conditions, and how he pivots each year as a winemaker to produce the optimal wine for the season. Ray really goes deep, and every session with Ray is informative and a true lesson in viticulture. Ray also just launched a fantastic Airbnb experience with a four-bedroom home in the Paso Robles golf course. The location can be curated to include a private tasting with him at the tasting room, a spa day, or 18 holes of golf and all the Indigené wine that can consume as guests of the Inndigené experience. For anyone stopping by to meet Ray, be sure to ask Ray about the meaning of his very unique label and enjoy the different cabernets, syrahs, champagne, and white wines offered. One can almost taste all the hard work and care put into bringing these wines to life. Raymond says his approach to winemaking is more like artistry. It perfectly combines science, art, and creativity, and Raymond is on the move. Keep an eye out for his new high-end collection coming to market soon and an expanded champagne collaboration. This local gem is for sure a rockstar of winemaking.

Visit UrbanVino.com or Apple Podcasts to listen to the UrbanVino Podcast, and visit YouTube for the video version. Connect with Jena on LinkedIn @ Jena Domingue and Instagram @ urbanvino.

Jena Domingue is the creator and CEO of UrbanVino House of Brands and Senior Vice President of Sales and Talent and Culture at WineDirect. She is also US Ambassador (California) for Liquid Icons, a global agency working with ultra-premium wine brands worldwide, offering scholarships and apprenticeships specifically geared to promote diversity and inclusion in wine education and hospitality.