Podcast: Lane Tanner, the “Pinot Czarina of Santa Barbara County,”

LUMEN has officially kicked off the 2019 harvest with an early pick of Pinot Gris from Sierra Madre Vineyard, and Lane has once again donned her magic yellow boot. What seemed to me like a late year for harvest got a chuckle out of Lane. “This is a normal year,” she said, which made me realize…

In this episode of Wine For Normal People, Will Henry of Lumen Wines shares his insights on organic and regenerative vineyard management. He discusses how these sustainable practices are integral to the health of the vineyard and the quality of Lumen’s wines. Tune in to explore the connection between the land and the wine in…

There is nothing more compelling than natural beauty. Ad men always have said that sex sells (such as this photo, above, of Lane Tanner enjoying a “Pinot bath”), but these days, natural sells almost as well. Natural cosmetics, natural clothing, natural foods, and now natural wine. But just how natural do you want to go?…

The first thing we do every morning when we arrive at the winery is stick our noses into things.  Not into other people’s business, mind you, but barrels and bins.  As our wines bubble away in the open-top fermenters, they put out all kinds of interesting smells.  These scents tell us what is going on…

Thoughts on the Wettest of Vintages The vineyards are flooding.  Southern California is currently experiencing what the forecasters are calling “the largest weather event in the last six years.” (Let’s just forget about “Stormageddon” two years ago – too bad they used that one up already). Some of the vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley…

Thoughts on the Most Exalted of Drinks In the wide world of alcoholic beverages, wine gets a lot of attention.  While craft beers, ciders, and spirits take more of the spotlight, wine nonetheless seems to hold onto an infallible center position.  To many consumers it is the holy grail of what can be swirled, sniffed…