Home Wine U The Buzz Wine Reviews   Review Archive   Rating System Calendar Fun Stuff About Us Feedback Key Contacts FAQ Links		Wine Tasting Notes Mandolina Mandolina is the line of Italian wines made from Italian varieties grown by Lucas & Lewellen. The fruit is sourced their Los Alamos Valley Vineyard. Over a mile long, and running along Highway 101 south of Los Alamos, this vineyard is planted with Rhône, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Italian varieties. Some of the vines, originating from cuttings brought over from Europe, are 25 over years old. The fruit from this vineyard is highly sought-after by many winemakers. Lucas & Lewellen also grow Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc in the lower elevations of the south-facing Valley View Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley AVA. Total Lucas & Lewellen acreage in Santa Barbara County exceeds 400 acres. Daniel Gehrs is the Lead Winemaker for Mandolina. He brings 30 years of wine making experience in northern and central California. Most notably, Daniel was head winemaker at Zaca Mesa Winery. After four years, he left Zaca Mesa to focus on consulting and his own label. He currently makes wines for several labels in addition to his own (including Lucas&Lewellen, Mandolina and Queen of Hearts) and is an active consultant to other producers in the area. He sources the fruit for his grapes from all over California. Stylistically, Daniel believes wine should be a companion to food and strives to make his wines food-friendly, with with lower alcohol levels than most producers today. The Assistant Winemaker at Mandolina is Megan McGrath. She was appointed to the position in February, 2007. A Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo graduate with a degree in Soil Science, she earned her Certificate in Winemaking from U.C. Davis. She spent the last four years in Sonoma County, most recently as winemaker for Cahill Winery in Sebastopol. There, she gained extensive experience with Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux varietals and Syrah. Joining Daniel and Megan (starting January 2007) is Drew Horton in the position of Cellar Master. His experience in the wine business is extensive and most recently includes the position of Assistant Winemaker at Brander Vineyards and then Cellar Master at Gainey Vineyard. Timothy Thompson was appointed Winery Operations Manager in February 2007. For the past four years, Mr. Thompson was the Production Manager at Firestone Vineyards. After leaving the aerospace industry, Mr. Thompson has also worked at Meridian Vineyards and Bridlewood Winery. His responsibilities include: facilities, warehousing, bottling and procurement. 2006 Mandolina Malvasia bianca, Santa Barbara County 2005 Mandolina Malvasia bianca, Santa Barbara County 95 points 2004 Mandolina Metodo Classico Sparkling Wine, Santa Barbara County 91 points 2003 Mandolina Toccata Riserva, Santa Barbara County 91 points Back to top. Search our wine reviews archive by: review date, vintage and winery.			Get the buzz: Wine reviews Great stories Interviews Wine education tools New content every month It's FREE! Click here
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