Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Espiro Jaeger.
Hi Matt, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I moved here in 2003 to pursue a career in acting (which is still my “day job”). As I was coming up, I worked in the service industry, where I often became the unofficial wine guy on staff (I’d fallen in love with wine back home thanks to my dad). I briefly considered the sommelier track, but then began working as an actor and left full-time service for entertainment. But I kept a side gig for my wine budget – so no matter what, I could afford to enjoy wine that made an impression on me. Santa Barbara County quickly became my favorite region in CA (despite trips to wine regions across the state and world), and I couldn’t believe my luck at living so close. A Los Olivos winery is where my wife and I started dating, got engaged, and then got married.
I’d always dreamed of making wine, but there’s an old joke in the industry, “How do you make a million dollars in wine? Start with two million.” I had nowhere near that kind of money.
After speaking with winemakers I knew for advice, I was introduced to Dusty Nabor, who not only took me under his wing as a 40-year-old intern for a year but encouraged me to go pro. So I dipped into my savings, got my licenses squared away, and Dusty helped me source my first grapes. My internship concluded with me working both Dusty’s and my harvest in 2021. In June of 2022, Fuil Wines launched its first release at Augustine Wine Bar and it’s been growing from there.
With a lot of luck, hard work, and a combo of my own savings and some loans, I’m entering my third harvest. I’ve been extremely fortunate to win several awards and sell out of my first release. I’ve also created relationships with winemakers I used to only be a fan of. I rent space at Dusty’s facility, where I produce all my wine, and am eternally grateful to him for convincing me to go pro.
I have two labels under Fuil Wines.
FUIL: (Irish Gaelic for blood, kin, nature, and homeland)
Fuil is me. My favorite varietals made the way I want to make them: in a way that shows the place and time each vintage was grown and made. Climate, vineyard, the people who grow it, and of course, the winemaker – every single thing that affects the wine will be encouraged to speak to you. Wines are made with an eye to aging and creating an unforgettable wine experience.
TÁBLA: (Irish Gaelic for a table and the people around it: eating, drinking, and talking)
Tábla is for life. Wines that are meant for food, conversation, and laughter around a table with the people we love. Made with care by myself and those whom I deeply respect, this wine won’t dominate the night but will make it one to remember.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Yes and no. I’ve had a lot of success for a first-time winemaker, and for that, I am extremely grateful. On the other hand, being a one-person band is being in a state of constant motion. I’m a winemaker, wine club manager, business manager, warehouse manager, PR manager, and salesman, all rolled into one. My wife pitches in wherever she can (especially with PR and social media), but she has her own very successful career, and I don’t want my work to get in the way of hers. I’m also still acting full-time. Last fall during harvest, I was literally leaving right after bows for Oedipus at the Getty Villa around 10pm, driving 2.5 hours north to drop off my empty pick bins, napping for 2-3 hours, picking up my grapes, driving back to Camarillo, crushing and processing the grapes, driving back to LA, taking a nap, then heading back the theatre. It was a lot.
Sales is the hardest for me. I’m very lucky that after only a year, my wine is in over a dozen stores and restaurants (around 10 of which are here in LA, with the rest throughout SoCal and Hawaii). But I swoon at the idea of someone else doing the sales for me!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love the structure of wine from the Old World (France, Italy, Spain, etc.). It moves and takes you on a journey but doesn’t always have the vibrant fruit and florals that I like. I think wine from California excels at beautiful florals and fruit notes but doesn’t always have the structure necessary to take me on a journey. My winemaking style is an effort to blend the two. I aim for what would be considered cool weather, feminine-styled wines. Cool-weather wines usually have notes of earth and spice to balance out fruit and floral, while a “feminine” wine is a wine that aims for elegance and balance over size and strength (a “masculine” wine). For my wine people, think Barbaresco vs. Barolo. That usually leads to a higher acid profile, which I like because I believe acid is what gives the wine good structure, like a backbone on which the wine relies.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I’d like to encourage your readers to try new, especially small, wineries. I only make 200 cases/year, so I know I am putting my all into every bottle. I’m not saying big producers or grocery store wine can’t be good, but they are ultimately commercial enterprises. You have to be when you are selling 1 million cases of wine or more a year. Boutique wineries are making art you can experience with all five senses. Like all art, it may not be your jam, but you won’t know until you try.
BUT! That said, don’t ever let someone tell you your taste in wine is wrong. You like what you like and that’s what you like. I’ve had amazing wines that were $15, and I’ve had $900 wine that was… meh. Drink what you like, and be open to trying new things. There are a lot of buzzwords out there: “Natural Wine,” “Terroir,” “Super Premium,” etc., and in all honesty, they rarely have much meaning. Try a lot, and drink what you like.
Lastly, I’m hosting a Pop-Up Tasting Room for the winery August 6 from 12-3pm at Bodevi Wine Bar. Check out the Find Us section of the website for more details.
Pricing:
- Tábla Wines: $25-$35/bottle
- Fuil Wines: $45-$55/bottle
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fuilwines.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fuilwines/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fuilwines
Image Credits
For the Personal Photo, Rob Flate Photography For the Add’l Photos, Carolina Espiro Jaeger
