Winemaking a Mano
An Interview with the Men Behind Dragonette Cellars
Though “hand-crafted” is an expression often overused in the wine industry, the purple-knuckled gentlemen of Dragonette Cellars — brothers John and Steve Dragonette and close friend Brandon Sparks-Gillis — employ it very literally in describing the conscientious handling and hard labor that goes into making their wines. From grape, to barrel, to bottle, theirs are the only hands that come in contact with their wines. “Consequently,” explains Sparks-Gillis, “from June to August our hands are dirty from the vineyards and stained deep purple from September to November.”
The trifecta works meticulously to balance old world elegance and top-quality Santa Barbara County fruit. The result? Wines that are beautifully structured and representative of their logo: an alchemist’s symbol for the “elixir of life” or “drinkable gold.” From the 2009 rosé’s scrumptious blend of grenache, syrah, and mourvedre fruit, to the crisp sauvignon blanc, intricately layered pinot noirs, and array of toothsome syrahs, their lineup of wines is consistently impressive.
We caught up with the dynamic trio as they took turns behind the bar of their Los Olivos tasting room (2445 Alamo Pintado Rd.) to learn more about what inspires them to roll up their sleeves each day.
