2018 Tatomer Steinhügel Riesling Santa Lucia Highlands 750 ml

Santa Barbara native Graham Tatomer’s stunning wines are routinely bought up by just about every Michelin-starred restaurant in California, from three-star spots like The French Laundry, Benu, and SingleThread, to Mister Jiu’s and State Bird Provisions. Needless to say, spotting a bottle like this refreshing and kinetic 2018 Tatomer Steinhügel Riesling elsewhere is rare.

But we’ve pried 48 cases from the hands of Somms and industry insiders for Wine Access members, thanks to our Master Sommelier Sur Lucero, who used to feature Tatomer in his restaurant programs. 

One sip of the 2018 Steinhügel is enough to know why so many restaurants flip for it. It’s a clinic in what California Riesling can do, effortlessly combining Old World minerality with New World citrus and power. In their 93-point review, Vinous said “There is so much to like in the 2018,” and called it “absolutely delicious.”

“Steinhügel is an example of what I love so much about Riesling,” Tatomer told us. “It is loaded with generous fruit, layered with long textures, and energized with vibrant acidity.” Its aromatics sashay from the glass—white peach, grapefruit marmalade, and lime, pulling you into their whimsical dance, while the rich palate centers on stony minerality with shades of citrus and stone fruit. 

Vinous has called Graham Tatomer’s creations “wines of real character and personality,” and SFGate called his work “a key symbol of the new Santa Barbara.” After studying in Austria with the Knoll family (of the world-renowned estate behind multiple 100-point Rieslings), Tatomer returned home to the Central Coast and a terroir ideal for producing Rieslings with similar vibrancy and complexity.

Graham saw California’s potential for stunning Rieslings and pounced on it, paying homage to the depth of his Austrian mentors’ wines while drawing fruit and focus from Central Coast soils. His hyper-focused dedication has made him the name to know in California Riesling. 

The Steinhügel comes from a biodynamic vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, an area that boasts abundant sunshine, but enjoys maritime winds off the Monterey Bay, which embolden this wine with its freshness and tension. The vineyards’ decomposed granite soils provide the bright acidity and complex aromatics so prized in the Rieslings of Wachau and Alsace. 

Graham Tatomer is always learning, tweaking, and finding new ways to improve his wines. The 2018 Steinhügel is a culmination of his winemaking experiences, the apex of California Riesling with an Old World soul and plenty of staying power.