Ciento Cellars
Get the Dirt from owner/winemaker David Carpenter
“The culture of Paso winemaking is adventurous, experimental and, above all, incredibly collegial and supportive. Paso is also drop dead gorgeous and it is a joy to live there.”
What was your first vintage year? 2022
How many cases do you make per vintage? 200 in 2022, 900 in 2023.
Do you have a Tasting Room? Yes, in Paso Robles, CA. We’re generally open Thursday-Sunday 11am-5pm, but are flexible other days or times too. Tastings are by appointment 805-835-7382.
Who is your winemaker? I am the winemaker and I have an assistant winemaker. My wife Antonia helps me in all aspects of the winery, especially the tasting room. The three of us are the entire team!
What wine made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery?
Ironically, Pinot Noir was my first inspiration in the early days (the Sideways effect probably had something to do with it) as I was first exposed to Pinots from Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Oregon and France. Over time, though, I found myself drawn to the fruit, the flesh, the complexity of Syrah and Grenache and the rest is history.
What varietals do you work with?
Our estate vineyard has seven varietals planted, four Rhone varietals Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault, and three Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. My favorite wine to make is actually a Cab/Syrah blend that we call Cuvee “C”.
What vineyards do you source from?
We are 100% estate for our Reds currently but source our Whites from Santa Barbara County. We chose Paso Robles for its incredible calcareous limestone shale soils and the cooling influence of the ocean that offsets the hotter summer days (Paso Robles has one of the largest diurnal swings of any winemaking region in the world.) We currently source of Whites from Nolan Ranch in Los Alamos because it is in a much cooler location than our estate vineyard which is consistent with stylistic goal of making lean, minerally, elegant Chablis-style white wines.
What type of oak treatment do you use?
I generally age my Rhone varietals 100% in neutral 300-liter and 400-liter French oak barrels in order to have a somewhat lighter touch on these more delicate varietals and allow the fruit to take center stage. For my Bordeaux varietals, I age in a combination of 225-liter and 300-liter new French oak (2/3) and neutral French oak (1/3). The Bordeaux varietals stand up well to and benefit from the higher contribution of oak tannins from new oak and smaller barrels.
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
Paso has a long list of things to love about it. First, the soils and the weather lend themselves to world class wines. Second, the region has seen explosive growth, attracting world class winemaking talent and investment. Third, the culture of Paso winemaking is adventurous, experimental and, above all, incredibly collegial and supportive. Last, but not least, Paso is drop dead gorgeous and it is a joy to live there.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
“CIENTO" was born out of two inspirations. "Cielo" or heaven in Spanish and "Viento" or wind. In other words, "Heaven Wind." It also happens to be the number one hundred in Spanish, perfection in the world of wine. For us this is not about perfection, though, it's about joy, creativity, hard work and family. If perfection comes our way someday, we'll be doubly blessed.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
I got an earful of cautions from winemakers and owners about the wine business in terms of the investment required, the long hours, the challenges of selling wine, etc. But every single person also said they wouldn’t change a thing and loved what they were doing. Winemaking is also my second career as I spent 25 years working in the investment management industry, so I came into this (expensive) adventure with a bit more flexibility than others who have bootstrapped themselves from the beginning.
Most importantly, what's so great about being small? What can you do as a small winemaker, that wouldn't be possible for larger wineries?
I think the greatest thing about being small is the ability to experiment with lots of small lots and not be beholden to producing 5000 cases of this or that wine because the distributors demand it, etc. I produce tons of small lots in individual barrel fermentations, small concrete fermenters and small stainless steel fermenters, so I have lots of opportunities to experiment with different pick dates, different fermentation temperatures, different maceration techniques, different pressing regimes, etc. I’ve worked at several large wineries where it’s all a bit cookie cutter, e.g. all the Syrah goes in one 10-ton tank, Grenache in another 10-tonner, etc., and there’s not much appetite or logistical ability to experiment with smaller lots.
How do you view the future in the wine industry for small-lot winemakers?
I think consumers in almost every category are steering away from mega brands and looking for the identification, personality and authenticity of smaller family-owned businesses. We’ve seen this in beer for years, more recently in spirits and now, it appears also to be happening in the wine business. I know for a fact that visitors to our winery love the fact that it’s my wife and I pouring for them. We grew the grapes, we hand-crafted the wines, we’re working the tasting room. Visitors absolutely love the personal connection which is largely only possible at smaller wineries.
If you could choose another wine region to work in what would it be?
I’m envious of the cooler growing regions like Santa Barbara County which are physically closer to the ocean and have milder growing seasons. I love drinking northern Rhone style Syrah, but that style is tough to make given the heat of the Paso summers. Of course, those cooler regions also sometimes have maturation challenges because it is so much cooler, but they can craft some wines in different styles that are very hard for me to replicate in Paso Robles.
For more information about Ciento Cellars, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram.