Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/735024
{ SOMMjournal.com } 55 The family worked ver y closely with growers and vineyard management teams to seek out some of the best fruit on the Central Coast, all the while, gather - ing knowledge for their future plantings. In the cellar, the Ribolis enlisted Arnaud Debons in 2003. Debons worked in Napa Valley for Newton Vineyards and gradu - ated from the prestigious winemaking program at the University of Toulouse in France. He and Anthony are the same age and together they fine-tuned their program for quality wines. Building Their Second Home in Paso Robles The family focused on Monterey County for their Burgundian varieties and Paso Robles specifically for their Rhône and Bordeaux varieties. Why Paso Robles? "I think Paso still has a niche for very good quality at a fair price," says Riboli. This is especially true when you look at varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon—high-scoring, excellent quality at a fraction of the price compared to their Napa counterparts. In just the last couple years, the family has made enormous investments in Paso Robles, with four estate vineyards now planted in the El Pomar District and Creston sub- AVAs. Pretty Penny vineyard in El Pomar is a property that the Ribolis have worked with since it was planted by Bob and Marianne Brown in 2000. The extreme conditions— steep exposure, whipping winds, higher elevation—make for very low yields and high-quality fruit. Riboli always told them if they ever decided to sell the vineyard, they should talk. In the last few years, it was clear that the Syrah needed replanting and it didn't make sense financially for the Browns, who were retired, to do so. The Ribolis purchased the property this year, replanting the Syrah with Cabernet Sauvignon clone 685 and tighter 8' x 4' spacing. The Browns continue to live on-property today. "I tell everyone, I've found my perfect customer," says Bob Brown, smiling. The Stefano and Maddalena Vineyards are brand new plantings in the El Pomar District AVA. Located only one mile apart, the properties can be seen opposite each other and yet have distinctly different soil profiles. Standing in the middle of the Stefano Vineyard at noon in August, it's easy to see the enormous potential in this site: cool winds from the Templeton Gap, rocky undulated slopes made up of Arbuckle- Positas soil allowing for better drainage and impeccable farming. With the first crop in 2015, it's exciting to see what these young vines will produce. Maddalena Vineyard is made up of Linne Calodo soil, which is also highly calcareous and holds more water, allowing them to irrigate less. "We like to call this our little Barolo because my grandmother is from Piemonte and in Barolo it's all hills," says Riboli, referring to the beautiful rolling hills at Maddalena. Just this year, the Riboli family purchased a vineyard in the Creston AVA which they have named Riboli Creston Vineyard. The property is similar in aesthetics to their other estates, with hilly terrain, beautiful old oaks and a very strong well. Water sup - ply was key in their site decisions. They've nurtured the existing vineyard, added new, 8' x 4' plantings and prepared the land for additional plantings next year. It's clear to see the Ribolis are stewards of the land. The oak trees were trimmed (not cleared) in preparation for the new vines, and the pond is slowly being transformed into a bird sanctuary where the Canada geese who call it home can be seen flourishing. In addition to their estate vineyards, the Ribolis have completed a new, state-of- the-art winery in the city of Paso Robles that will be ready for the 2016 harvest. The facility is modern yet simple in design and constructed to be both efficient and ecologically friendly. The on-site wastewater treatment plant is highly efficient and elimi - nates any demands on the sewer system. This comes at an enormous cost, yet it's crucial in drought-stricken California. The winery also uses air-cooled refrigeration rather than water-cooled refrigeration to further conserve. The facility has the capabil - ity of handling everything from 3-ton lots to 24-ton lots. The flexible design allows them to compartmentalize space as needed, to focus energy use in specific areas. At the time, it was considered crazy to plant vines on such a steep slope. Howie Steinbeck, of the reputable Steinbeck Vineyards in Paso Robles, accepted the task of planting the vineyard with extreme exposures close to 20 degrees. He consulted with the Ribolis, who sourced fruit from him, to see if they were interested in contracting with the new site. "Oh yeah, we'll take this," says Anthony Riboli, recalling the moment. "That was really our first venture into hillside vineyards and now if you look at our vineyards, pretty much everything's hillside." When Stefano Riboli was out visiting in the countryside East of Los Angeles, Maddalena Satragni caught his eye as she drove the tractor through the fields in Guasti. Stefano thought to himself, "Wow! She's a beautiful woman and she can drive a tractor, so she must be a hard worker. I want to marry her." She, on the other hand, saw the raccoon tail on his car's antenna (which was all the rage in the city at the time) and thought, "There's no way I'm going to marry that city slicker." They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in March 2016.