Warson Wine Company, Making Wines From the Heart

Paul Warson of Warson Wine Company

Warson Wine Company, Making Wines From the Heart
December 4, 2024

For a winemaker, there is always the day job, the one that pays the bills and presents challenges that need to be met, where the business equation has to balance the winemaking ethos. Then there is the passion project, the side hustle of many winemakers that yearn to experiment and bottle what they find interesting and exciting, making wine from the heart. For Paul Warson, whose current day job is General Manager and Winemaker at Moraga Bel Air, Warson Wine Company is his outlet, an expression of what he likes most about wine, while bringing his lifetime of experience to the bottle.

Paul Warson at Moraga Bel Air

Paul Warson at Moraga Bel Air, showcasing his fluency with estate vineyards

To understand the wines, you need to know the man. Paul Warson is a native Angeleno, while growing up, he was fascinated with the different aromas, flavors and textures of various food. He went to UC Davis, initially on the path to medical school, but along the way, he became intrigued by entomology and home brewing. And so, Warson ended up studying Fermentation Science, where he was bitten by the winemaking bug. After graduation, he worked at a sparkling winery in Carneros, but decided he needed to experience a different part of the world, going to Australia to gain a fresh perspective. Returning to California, he worked for Château Potelle in Napa Valley, combining his Australia experiences, education, and knowledge from Château Potelle’s owners into a winemaking mantra, to make wines that are distinctive and true to their vineyard sense of place. Warson continued his craft for over nine years in Napa Valley, consulting for many different wineries, before migrating to Santa Ynez Valley and joining Bill Foley at Firestone Vineyard, where he was General Manager and Winemaker for another nine years. It was here that Warson realized that estate vineyards were his specialty, he knew how to elevate the wines at every level to express the winery’s soul. He returned to Los Angeles in 2017 to help care for his aging parents, while continuing his winemaker duties as a consultant, and launching Warson Wine Company in 2019. Eventually, he made his way to Moraga Bel Air Vineyards and Winery in 2021, and today, he focuses on a work-life balance, where family centers his winemaking passion.

Paul Warson of Warson Wine Company

Today, Warson Wine Company fulfills Paul’s dream, making wines that he personally likes while encouraging consumers to embrace what they like, and hopefully the two happily intersect. Warson sources fruit from the best vineyards throughout Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties, producing wines on his own terms, nine in total. The labels reflect his California roots, the blue waves a nod to his love of the ocean.

A few months ago, Paul Warson shared his story and his wines with the LA Wine Writers over a three course luncheon at AOC Brentwood. Six different wines were poured, and as we explored the wines, it was evident that Warson is not a conventional winemaker. He explained, “I feel I have a different approach to winemaking and how wine should be enjoyed. I bring a message, that is, drink what you like, and kind of explore, and don’t let people tell you what you should and shouldn’t like. I make wines from places and varieties that I have not liked in the past, or that I don’t like, but I make it in a style that I like to enjoy.”

Paul Warson presenting his Warson wines to the LA Wine Writers

Warson’s wine philosophy is simple, as he states, “I don’t have a favorite wine but I make my favorite wine of each type.” He elaborated that “there are characteristics of wines that I like, certain elements that I focus on when crafting wine.” Warson illustrates his point in the case of Petite Sirah, “I didn’t originally like it, but in working with it, I know what it is and how to coax what I like, that element, out of the grape.” In this case, he finds that Petite Sirah “tracks like a Muscat clone, it peaks and ebbs as it ripens, but that you can control the floral aspect of the finished wine.”

Greeted with the Warson Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (SRP $20), Warson explained that he often finds Sauvignon Blanc too acidic, and has worked to tone it down with the addition of Clairette Blanche, which softened the palate and added a floral pop to the nose. He definitely succeeded with this friendlier version, which has lower acidity and a rounder mouthfeel. Riper aromas and flavors of grapefruit, passion fruit and melon make for a good pair with shellfish or hard cheeses.

The first course, a Butter Lettuce Salad with Lobster, Cherry Tomatoes, Avocado, Soft Egg and Russian Dressing served as the backdrop for the next two wines. The Warson Viognier Santa Barbara County 2018 happens to be something that Warson loves, the honeysuckle aroma wraps around the lush peach and apricot essence, with a Meyer lemon accent. The Warson Rosé Santa Ynez Valley 2020 (SRP $22), a blend of 96% Grenache and 4% Syrah, inhabits aromas of strawberries and watermelon, and a floral note of violets, with good acidity and a long finish.

The second course, a Country-style Pork Chop with Cornbread-Chorizo Stuffing and Glazed Cherries, accompanied two red wines. The Warson GSM Blend-1102 Santa Ynez Valley 2018 (SRP $36) is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre, with notes of plum and dark berries, tobacco, spice and leather, a rich and velvety wine. The Warson “The Nines” Santa Ynez Valley 2019 (SRP $55), 85% Petit Verdot and 15% Cabernet Franc, is a very special wine for Warson. It is named for the significance of the number 9 in his life, born on the ninth day of the month, married on the ninth day of the ninth month of the year, he worked for nine years in Napa Valley and then nine years in Santa Ynez Valley. It’s here that Warson’s winemaking skill comes into play, wrangling the aggressive tannins in Petit Verdot so that it co-ferments peacefully with Cabernet Franc. This wine has been highly rated by Wine Enthusiast, with its bouquet of dark fruit, earth, wild berry compote and black pepper, elegant with a long finish.

Finally, the Cheese course was served alongside the Warson Petite Syrah Happy Canyon 2018 (SRP $36), a luscious, inky-colored wine with aromas and flavors of blackberry and blueberry fruit, black tea and chocolate, and hints of vanilla, a dense, rich wine with velvety tannins and long finish.

Currently, Warson produces 800 cases of wine a year, but he has an eye to expand, “I’d like to grow to 3,000-3,500 cases, a manageable amount of wine.” And for those who are looking for a house wine, Warson wines are affordable enough to drink every day, and so food friendly.

For Paul Warson, winemaking is something that comes naturally, “I rely on instinct and shoot from the hip, I enjoy breaking down walls and myths about wine and its enjoyment.” And making wine, straight from the heart!

Warson wines are available for purchase on the website, https://www.warsonwine.com/shop/