TOLOSA Winery
A green California vineyard between two canyons.
In 1998, along with the creation of the winery, the first vines of this beautiful family property were planted. The building reception, the shop and the various terraces as well as the patios were built in 2004.
The property itself is situated in the region of San Luis Obispo and more specifically in “Edna Valley“. It currently covers 750 hectares
At first, from a European point of view, this property might seem very young but the reality is that Tolosa comes from a long tradition of farmers of more than 240 years.
In fact, the first wines from this region of San Luis Obispo County were produced by the brothers of the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. This Franciscan congregation, sent by the Spanish crown began to produce wines for required for the mass.
Their wines acquired a very rapid success beyond the walls of their monasteries and soon became one of the most popular California wines of the new world.
Later, in the 1870s, the french Pierre Hyppolite Dallidet grafted the early French cuttings that are currently on the renowned Edna Valley Pinot Noir.
To maintain the legacy of the Spanish Franciscans he grafted it onto one of the last vines wich survived from the era of the Missionaries.
Where does the name TOLOSA comes from?
Tolosa is the name of a town of Spain, in the province of Guipúzcoa, where the Spanish missionaries were native from, as well as the first farmers of this land.
For our general culture, but not directly related or proven, Tolosa was also the Latin name of the French city of Toulouse (history digging for those interested).
How does Larry Brooks (winemaker of Tolosa Winery) sees his job? (Pictured with K. Noonane Head of Marketing and Communication)
Like a puzzle. Larry was fascinated by puzzles and wine, therefore it is natural that the desire to become a winemaker and wine production were born in him.
Indeed to produce wine is really to associate the land (as he says: “understand and interpret the wealth of the soil“), with the vines and the barrels so that when assembled they complement each other perfectly …. just like a puzzle .
According to him it is important to involve the expertise provided by the former techniques with the scientific advances in viticulture.
If you ask him about his work, this wine enthusiast will tell you: I am a “winegrower” and not only a “winemaker“.
The difference lies in the fact that the “winemaker” takes care of his precious grapes and juice, while the “winegrower” also deals with the work in the vineyard. He prefers to take advantage of the wine making process as a whole.
That is to say before being an oenologist he is foremost a vine farmer.
What does Larry looks for each year creating Tolosa‘ wines?
Foremost maxium conservation of fruity aromas. A good balance of flavors from the grape variety and the atypical terroir of Tolosa (“atypical” in the sense that in Europe we are not used to seeing vines between canyons and an open rocky deserts).
But also wines that are “easy to drink”, as we take pleasure to open at all times and not wines that we dare not open.
A “dream” wine?
Yes the “sparkling” using the champenoise method (the name “champagne” is reserved for the wines of the Champagne region). But this requires the acquisition of new manufacturing techniques, new equipment and especially the planting of vines in soils suitable for this.
How to summarize in a few words the spirit that reigns over this vineyard?
“Very green” … “Good wine, good impact and good business“.
“Very green” because to paraphrase Antoine de Saint-Exupéry “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” so we need to have the minimum impact on it.
The rest of the sentence is explained by the desire to make a wine that team and it can be proud to live.
Side anecdote:
Looking at the “Library Wines” you will discover vineyard wines labeled “1772.” These labels have been created to pay homage to the Spanish missionaries who, as you guessed, are established here in 1772.
The wines of this range are lined in the first wines produced here, that is to say, fine wines, elegant and fruity.
Santé!*
Thanks to Katie NOONANE as well as Larry Brooks for their hospitality and for the time spent in the interview.
(*Cheers! Enjoy!)
Jonathan Choukroun Chicheportiche
TOLOSA WINERY
Tasting Room
4910 Edna Road
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 USA
Tel : 805.782.0500
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