Fuil Wines
Get the Dirt from owner / winemaker Matt Espiro Jaeger
“Fuil means blood, but also your land, kin, temperament, passions - all the things that make a person who they are. That hit deep for me. I want Fuil to be a wine that is a centerpiece for the night, always complex, intriguing, and elegant.”
What was your first vintage year? Our first vintage was 2019.
How many cases do you make per vintage? Our last release was 200 cases, and this year (2023) we’ll bottle 500 cases.
Do you have a Tasting Room? We are partnering with Buvette Wine Bar in Los Angeles for a monthly Pop-Up TasIng Room the 2nd Sunday of each month from 12-3pm.
Can people make an appointment? Yes, reservations for private tastings at the winery are available. Club Members can make an appointment for full tours, including barrel tastings.
What wine made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery? Syrah and Viognier (Cool weather style)
What varietals do you work with? Primarily Rhone Varietals with the occasional Burgundian.
Which varietal is your favorite to make? Viognier - there’s something that happens to Viognier when it’s fermented in barrel that is just magic.
What vineyards do you source from? Why? J&K Vineyard and Kærskov Vineyard in Ballard Canyon. I believe Ballard Canyon grows the best Northern Rhone Style grapes in CA. PLUS, both engage in organic and biodynamic practices, meaning the grapes I get are grown responsibly.
What type of oak treatment do you use? Why?
Barrel aging - primarily neutral French oak, with light influence of new French. I prefer the micro-oxygenation I get with barrel as opposed to tank aging. Also, because each barrel is its own environment, I end up with multiple components, all with their own personality, that I can blend to create a vibrant, complex wine.
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
Santa Barbara is one of the few areas in CA where you can grow grapes that are perfect for cool-weather style Rhone Wines. I think CA is known for our more powerful Syrahs, ala Châteauneuf and Côtes du Rhône. But Santa Barbara, specially Ballard Canyon, are great for Côte-RôIe style elegance and femininity. I really love exploring that and creating wines that surprise people.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
As you will see when you meet me, I am one pale, ginger-haired man. All my DNA comes from the CelIc areas around Britain. Literally, all of it - I’ve been tested. So when the time came to name my winery and my labels, I turned to Irish Gaelic. Fuil means blood, but also your land, kin, temperament, passions - all the things that make a person who they are. That hit deep for me. I want Fuil to be a wine that is a centerpiece for the night, always complex, intriguing, and elegant. It also has a slang meaning in Scotland: “Fool.” At that time, I as I was beginning a winery from scratch, it seemed fitting. Even more so when I began working as a 40-year-old intern at a local winery!
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
I can make the wine I want to make, and the only limits are my ability and my budget. I feel like larger winemakers have to homogenize their wine to a degree, making them acceptable to the general market’s palate and expectations to be somewhat predictable year over year.
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 can experiment, and take my members on that journey with me. If I make a mistake, I can follow it and see how it turns out - heck, it might be better than what I had originally planned. Our Solas Nua came out of that. I tried setting up an experimental Rhone Red Blend for Fuil to release in 2 years, but it ended up too light and fruity to be a serious Rhone Red Wine. Dejected and laying on my couch, I was trying to figure out what to do, thinking, “It’s too Nouveau to be a good Rhone Red blend.” And it hit me. Chill it and release it as is as a Nouveau-style summer red. I tried it, bottled it, and sold out in 4 months.
How do you view the future in the wine industry for small-lot winemakers?
We’ll never have the huge name recognition or celebrity status to do the legwork for us. My hope is that our responsible practices, willingness to play, and personal touch will continue to make small wineries a priority for people who really care about drinking well-made, and responsibly-made, wine. As opposed to those who are buying for the clout.
If you could choose another wine region to work in what would it be?
Piedmonte. I love Barbera wine and would love to be in the place that created it.
For more information about Fuil Wines, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram or Facebook.