Sean Minor has spent decades honing his craft to become a world class winemaker. Along the way to building his own brand, Sean worked for some of the most respected pioneers of the wine industry. Now at the helm of his own winery, his portfolio of wines spans the length of the West Coast, from Oregon to Santa Barbara. For the last fifteen years he has forged long-term relationships with some of the top growers in California, which has enabled him to craft wines of tremendous value and consistency with each new vintage.
We love working with Sean & Nicole Minor, and today share with you a short video straight from Sean which touches on his background, beginnings, and lineup of California wines.
A TIMESTAMPED OUTLINE OF THE VIDEO
0:00 – Background & Beginnings
1:08 – Sauvignon Blanc ‘4B – California’
2:09 – Chardonnay ‘4B – Central Coast’
3:42 – Pinot Noir ‘4B – California’
6:02 – Cabernet Sauvignon ‘4B – Paso Robles’
7:34 – Pinot Noir ‘Sonoma Coast’
MORE INFO ON SEAN MINOR WINES
A true négociant, Sean Minor does not own a winery or a vineyard, yet his name stands for character and value in wines in 49 states across the country. Born in Kansas, Sean attended Arizona State University where he received a degree in finance and met his wife, Nicole, before venturing into the world of wine. After cutting his teeth at Napa’s Beaulieu Vineyard, Sean furthered his education in wine at U.C. Davis in Viticulture and Enology and subsequently was recruited to manage viticulture at King Estate Winery & Benton-Lane Winery in Oregon. Sean would soon move his family to California for the opportunity to manage Renwood Winery, where he was able to hone his skills in operations and marketing.
Through their experiences in the wine industry, Sean and Nicole were able to identify a gap in the market – consumers were yearning for wines that were easy to enjoy, true to terroir, and didn’t break the bank – and in 2005, Sean Minor Wines was born. Initially, the brand was called “Four Bears” in honor of their four children. Since then, the business has evolved, their name has changed, and production has grown to some 150,000 cases. Since the Minors don’t own any vineyards, they invest diligently in long-term contracts with prized grape growers and sustainable farms throughout California and Oregon. Sean’s goal is to keep costs down while maximizing quality at every step, and to offer wines that truly represent the appellation from which they’re produced. Consulting winemaker Will Bucklin has been on staff since the start. A graduate of UC Davis’ enology program, Will gained experience at Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Thomas Hardy in Australia, and Navarro Vineyards in Mendocino, before meeting Sean at King Estate in Oregon. Together, Will and Sean work very closely with the fruit sources and are able to maintain consistent production year after year.
Sauvignon Blanc ‘4B – California’, Sean Minor
- 100% Sauvignon Blanc, California AVA
- Whole cluster pressed
- Majority of the juice moved to stainless steel tanks, a small portion placed in small neutral French oak barrels
- The wine in barrels aged sur lie and stirred consistently
Chardonnay ‘4B – Central Coast’, Sean Minor
- 100% Chardonnay, Central Coast AVA
- Whole cluster pressed and immediately racked to stainless steel
- A portion of the juice fermented in French oak and the remaining lot in stainless steel tanks
- Partial malolactic fermentation
Pinot Noir ‘4B – California’, Sean Minor
- 100% Pinot Noir, California AVA
- Grapes sourced from sites throughout Central Coast and North Coast
- De-stemmed and gently placed into open-top stainless steel fermenters
- Punch-downs 2-3 times per day, racked to oak for aging
Cabernet Sauvignon ‘4B – Paso Robles’, Sean Minor
- 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 3% Petite Sirah
- Sourced from sites throughout Paso Robles
- De-stemmed and gently crushed into closed-top stainless steel fermenters
- Warm temperature to extract color and flavor
- Racked to oak for aging
Pinot Noir ‘Sonoma Coast’, Sean Minor
- 100% Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast AVA
- Blend of Pommard and Dijon clones from carefully selected vineyards
- Hand-picked at night and de-stemmed into open-top fermenters
- Cold-soaked for 3 days prior to fermentation
- Punch-downs 2-3 times per day, racked to barrels for mL fermentation
- Aged for 10 months in French oak (20% new)
