Santa Barbara by the Glass

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Gabe Saglie has been covering the Santa Barbara wine scene for more than 15 years through columns, TV and radio. He’s a senior editor with Travelzoo and is a leading expert on travel deals, tips and trends. Gabe and wife Renee have 3 children and one Golden Retriever named Milo

New Hands at the Helm:

An important change of the guard at Folded Hills: the winery has hired a new winemaker. making really well, and the two form a unique perspective.” Mr. Brughelli’s official title is conFolded Hills Hires New Winemaker

Michael Brughelli brings a diverse sulting winemaker, though he says background to the Folded Hills projhis role is far more hands-on than ect, which operates a sprawling the position typically implies. And, estate and vineyard off Highway 101 as with his previous viticultural in Gaviota and an elegant tasting projects, his approach to the Folded room in Montecito. The 38-year-old Hills wines will be focused on the Nipomo resident gained particular estate: its proximity to the coast, its acclaim with Scar of the Sea, a label he exposure to winds, and its unique co-founded that’s become a darling of soils. “We’ll let the vineyard guide wine media and consumers, and his the winemaking process,” he says. stake in which he sold early this year. “You let the vineyard inform the Mr. Brughelli has also been director decisions you make season after of sales for renowned Bien Nacido season.” Vineyard and currently operates the Mr. Brughelli is replacing winemakwine industry advisory company, er Angela Osborne, a New Zealand Vignerons Consulting. native who’s been with Folded Hills

“Most winemakers are honed-in in from the beginning but who’s leaving one direction, running the vineyard now to focus on her own label, Tribute or the winemaking,” he says. “What I to Grace, which she founded in 2007. bring to the table is that I know vine“It is a great honour to have a family’s yards really well and I know winetrust be placed in one’s winemaking

Michael Brughelli, with a diverse background in Santa Barbara Co. winemaking, has been hired as new consulting winemaker for Folded Hills hands (or feet),” she says in a press release issued last week, “and I will always be grateful to Kim and Andy for this privilege.”

Adds Kim Busch: “Angela Osborne has been a pivotal part of the success of Folded Hills. Her style of winemaking has been a wonderful expression of place.”

Mr. Brughelli told the Journal this week that he’s excited about joining the Folded Hills team. “It’s a chance to work with great people and to tap into the great potential on that ranch,” he says.

Folded Hills launched in 2017 as the pet project of Kim and Andy Busch, members of the St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Companies, the largest brewery in the world. Aside from close to 1,000 animals, their 600-acre Gaviota farmstead is home to more than 15 acres of grapevines – grenache and syrah grapes that are farmed organically and biodynamically and that produce most of the Folded Hills portfolio of close to a dozen wines and blends and an annual output of 5,500 cases.

Mr. Brughelli’s role begins with oversight of the 2020 vintage, which he says “looks really good” thus far. Grapes will be harvested this fall and the wines will be made at the state-ofthe-art Dierberg/Star Lane facility in the Happy Canyon area of the Santa Ynez Valley.

The Folded Hills tasting rooms are open but operating on a limited basis due to COVID-19. Reservations are required for visits to the Gaviota estate and are highly recommended for tastings at the Montecito salon. Find out more at foldedhills.com.

Mr. Brughelli is also working on his own eponymous label, Brughelli. His first wines, pinot noir and chardonnay from the 2018 vintage, should see public release this fall. •MJ