ABOUT US
Oceano Wines is a joint venture between Rachel Martin and Kurt Deutsch. Rachel has been growing grapes and producing wine for over 15 years at her family’s winery and vineyard, Boxwood Estate Winery, in Middleburg, Virginia. Kurt is a Grammy-award-winning music, theatre and film producer, now working as a senior vice president for Warner Music Entertainment. The two randomly met at the Middleburg Film Festival in October 2014. They happened to be seated across from each other at a dinner prior to the screening of Kurt’s feature film, “The Last Five Years.”
Together the two decided to make wine from a very specific place, Spanish Springs Vineyard, on the coast of San Luis Obispo, California. As the westernmost vineyard site in California, Spanish Springs provided the cool climate they sought for the two varieties they wanted to bottle, chardonnay and pinot noir. Their collaboration resulted in both their marriage in 2018 and the release of their first wine, the 2016 Spanish Springs Vineyard Chardonnay.
RACHEL MARTIN
Co-Founder, CEO and Winemaker
Life is short, and Oceano Wines founder Rachel Martin aims to squeeze every last drop out of it. One of the few female leaders in the wine industry, she brings a fresh approach to winemaking. Between her studies in viticulture and enology from Napa Valley College, her Diploma Program in Sensory Evaluation from the University of Bordeaux’s School of Enology, France, and her work in the wine industry in her home state of Virginia (where she established Middleburg as an American Viticultural Area in 2012), Rachel’s bicoastal, ocean-loving lifestyle is embodied by Oceano Wines.
Rachel is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International New York and Washington, D.C chapters, and was the first woman to be inducted into the District of Columbia chapter of the International Wine & Food Society.
MARBUE MARKE
Consultant and Winemaker 2016 – 2021
Marbue Marke comes from a family of doctors in Sierra Leone and began his medical studies as a 15-year-old at junior college in California. The child prodigy later enrolled at the University of California-Davis and was drawn to the school’s renowned wine program. Marbue changed direction, much to our good fortune, earning his enology degree from Davis and an MBA from Sonoma State University. He is a veteran Napa Valley winemaker with over 25 vintages under his belt. Marbue’s extensive experience in the industry, along with his pursuit for sustainability and winemaking purity, made him the perfect choice for Oceano Wines.
Kurt Deutsch
Co-Founder
Kurt is a Grammy-award-winning music, theatre, and film producer. Henry Warshaw, a longtime friend and neighbor of Deutsch’s father, owns Spanish Springs, the vineyard that is the sole source of fruit for Oceano’s wines. The subsequent introduction of Warshaw to Rachel Martin culminated in the release of the first Oceano wine in January of 2018.
Oceano in
the Press
Food & Wine
What’s Your Chardonnay?
A deep dive into the shape-shifting, polarizing grape that’s America’s favorite—and most misunderstood—variety.
VINOUS
San Luis Obispo: At the Edge of the Ocean (Apr 2022)
– 92 point rating
– Drinking Window 2025 – 2034
Brilliant red. Primary, spice-accented cherry and black raspberry aromas open up slowly and pick up suggestions of woodsmoke and succulent herbs along the way. Shows fine definition and cut to the bitter cherry, red berry, dark chocolate, and baking spice flavors, which turn sweeter on the back half. Youthfully gripping tannins frame a long, chewy finish that echoes the cherry and spice notes. By all means, give this youthful Pinot some air if you’re planning on opening a bottle any time soon.
EDIBLE SAN LUIS OBISPO
A Passion for the Process: The Art of Winemaking
Drinking a glass of wine while disconnecting from the outside noise and drawing inward is a special ritual, one that is so simple, it can be easy to forget the intensive labor required to fill that glass.
PROTEA FINANCIAL
Protea Conversations: Rachel Martin
In April 2021 we spend time with Rachel Martin. A unique combination of education and experience brought Rachel Martin to launch Oceano Wines with husband and co-proprietor, Kurt Deutsch in 2016. A Virginia native, Martin was present at the inception of what is now considered one of that state’s premier wine producers, Boxwood Estate Winery, in 2005.
VINOUS
San Luis Obispo: Excellence Hiding in Plain Sight
It’s an ongoing mystery to me that, aside from a small handful of producers, San Luis Obispo hasn’t received the attention it deserves for its almost universally high quality wines. In the excellent 2018 vintage, SLO’s wineries outdid themselves.
FORBES
From Medical School To Winemaking: Marbue Marke’s Journey To Success
Growing up in Freetown, Sierra Leone on the West Coast of Africa, Marbue Marke believed he would follow in the footsteps of his mother, uncles, and other family members and become a physician. His grandparents introduced him to wine during traditional Sunday family dinners, which awakened in him a passion that became his calling. As a student at the University of California, Davis, which happens to have a world-renowned winemaking program, Marke realized that he did not want to go on to medical school, and he switched his studies to the Department of Viticulture and Enology there.
JANE UNCHAINED
Picking flowers
Central Coast, California, July 16, 2020 — San Luis Obispo’s Oceano Wines, producer of premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from San Luis Obispo, announced today that, starting with the 2019 vintage, its platinum award-winning premium “wine of the year” Chardonnay and fine Pinot Noir have earned the BevVeg vegan certification through BeVeg International, a leading vegan certifier that ensures vegan compliance from every stage of the beverage production process.
VINEPAIR
25 of the Best Chardonnays for 2020
Allow us to reintroduce you to Chardonnay. The backbone of French white Burgundy and Chablis, Chardonnay remains the most popular white wine grape in the United States. Sure, it got a bad rap at the end of the 20th century due to the number of overly oaky “butter bombs” being produced, but it’s easier now than ever before to find fantastic Chardonnays that do the storied, versatile grape justice.
VINEPAIR
25 of the Best Pinot Noirs for 2020
Ever since Paul Giamatti waxed poetic about the “thin-skinned, temperamental” Pinot Noir in the 2004 film “Sideways,” the noble grape has seen its popularity with wine drinkers skyrocket. Pop culture stardom aside, there’s a lot to know and love about Pinot Noir: The fickle and terroir-driven grape is admired for such qualities as its deep red color, notes of luscious berries and smoke — and, sometimes, prohibitive prices.
VINOUS
San Luis Obispo: Solidifying an Identity
The best-known region within San Luis Obispo County is, of course, Paso Robles. However, most wines that carry the San Luis Obispo designation bear little resemblance to those from that AVA, emphasizing elegance and energy over ripeness and strength.
MODERN LUXURY MAGAZINE
Women of Influence – The Perfect 10
Rachel Martin combined her lifelong passion for fine wine and 20 years of experience in the business when she launched Oceano Wines in 2016. Today, Oceano Wines is on the cutting edge of new style California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with vintages that are refreshing, well balanced and food friendly.
SANTÉ
Women in Wine
To kick off Women’s History Month, we’d like to take a closer look at a few of the women of wine who are paving the way for others in the industry. These women who are listed below serve in a variety of roles in the wine world, proving that a woman really can do anything that she sets her mind to.
THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER
Oceano Wines brings the taste of San Luis Obispo to the East Coast
Rachel Martin, who co-founded Oceano Wines in San Luis Obispo, can truly be described as bicoastal. Before Oceano, she established Boxwood Winery in Middleburg, Virginia with her stepfather, John Kent Cooke, and spearheaded an arduous effort to establish the certified appellation there.
DAILY STAR JOURNAL
Ben on Wine: The wine searcher
I have always preached that much of the fun of wine is trying new varieties and/or little known producers. Recently, two gems from a winery that was unknown to me, crossed my desk or should I say my palate; the wines of Spanish Springs Vineyards.
FORBES
Rachel Martin, A Force In Virginia Wine, Sets Her Sights On A New Wine Region
After working for her family’s Boxwood Estate Winery in Virginia for 15 years, Rachel Martin started her own California wine brand, Oceano, with grapes grown on the San Luis Obispo Coast. She founded Oceano along with her husband, Kurt Deutsch, a music, theater, and film producer who is currently a senior vice president for Warner Music Group.
NAPA VALLEY REGISTER
Allison Levine, Please The Palate: Oceano Wines – Making a splash on the San Luis Obispo coast
The San Luis Obispo coast sits south of Paso Robles and north of Santa Barbara. This pending AVA was first established in the 1870s, and today there are 30 member wineries who all average five miles from the coast. There is a total of 5,000 vineyard acres planted and 20 grape varieties grown, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir taking the lead.
FOOD & WINE
15 California Chardonnays to Drink Now
California Chardonnay is at a strange crossroads right now. There’s no question it’s popular—Chardonnay maintains its status as the most popular wine in the United States, a position it’s had for decades now. At the same time, particularly when I talk to wine drinkers who are younger than 30 or so, there’s no question that California Chardonnay isn’t at the top of the list when it comes to what’s cool; it’s considered the mom grape. Yet the terms people tend to use to define it—buttery, oaky, rich, unctuous—are actually becoming less and less applicable to most California Chardonnays. So when it comes to Chardonnay, what exactly is going on?
WASHINGTON POST
5 things to know about chardonnay, the world’s most popular white wine
Chardonnay is so popular that it is nearly synonymous with white wine. We feel comfortable with it. It’s easy to say, and it sounds like it ends with a smile. Here are five things to know to make your chardonnay experience more meaningful.
PAPERCITY
Best Thanksgiving Wines — a Bottle for Every Table (and Course)
In San Luis Obispo County, very near the Pacific Ocean, lies a vineyard by the name of Spanish Springs. From it, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir emanate, some bottled under the label Oceano Wines. I recently tasted the 2017 Oceano Wines Chardonnay, and it is an intriguing pour.
WINE INDUSTRY NETWORK
AVA Update: SLO to Be Recognized
Ask the American wine consumer to describe San Luis Obispo wine and they will likely tell you about the Paso Robles AVA, its pioneering role in growing Rhône varieties, its first class cabernet sauvignon, and the large number of startup wineries experimenting with pinot noir and any number of specialized grapes. But they may miss the important work being done ‘over the grade’, on the other side of the Santa Lucia Mountains, in the southern part of the county adjacent to the Pacific Coast.
SOUTH FLORIDA REPORTER
Tasting Renowned New Comer “Oceano” Wines
Rachel Martin cut her wine teeth in the mid 2000’s with her involvement in the founding and management of the well-respected Boxwood Vineyards in Middleburg, Va.
PASO ROBLES MAGAZINE
Chardonnay – A Perfect Summer Into Fall Transition Wine
We’re almost at the tail end of summer and some of us will soon be reaching for red wines to replace the refreshing whites. But do we really want to give up the whites altogether?
RED WINE WITH BREAKFAST
What To Drink Now: SLO Coast Wines Today On KXAS-TV/NBC DFW
The influence the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans have on wines throughout the northern and southern hemisphere is significant, creating refreshing effects on delicate fruit as cooling breezes blow through vines off the water. From Spain to Uruguay, Oregon to Chile, California to New Zealand, wines of the world benefit from the intoxicating rhythms of our oceans.
LOUDON TIMES
Virginia wine veteran partners with local group to release Wine for Women’s Equality
Middleburg native and California vintner Rachel Martin has teamed up with a Leesburg-based organization, Just Good Business, to release the “Wine for Women’s Equality” in support of ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, or ERA, an amendment aimed at guaranteeing equal rights to men and women under the Constitution.
THE CHALK REPORT
WINE REVIEW: 2017 Oceano Chardonnay, Spanish Springs Vineyard, San Luis Obispo County ($44)
Oceano is a lean, acidic style of Chardonnay that is out of the California mainstream. It’s lively, bright flavors make it compatible with a wide variety of food. For example, chicken, turkey, white fish, salmon and pork. Also Asian flavors such as Vietnamese soups, Thai curry, etc.
THE CHALK REPORT
WINE REVIEW: 2018 Oceano Pinot Noir, Spanish Springs Vineyard, San Luis Obispo County, CA ($45)
Put this Pinot Noir from a tiny winery in California’s central coast as one to watch out for. Oceano owner Rachel Martin makes just Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from San Luis Obispo County grapes. Winemaker Marbue Marke, trained at UC Davis and is now based in Napa, makes the journey to SLO to oversee things.
WINE SEARCHER
Why X Marks the Spot for Selling Wine
“I don’t think of marketing as being generation-specific,” says Rachel Martin, co-owner of San Luis Obispo’s Oceano. “That said, I was born in 1971, right in the middle of Generation X. The way I look at the world, including marketing Oceano, is framed by my experience.
DECANTER
California’s San Luis Obispo Coast for wine lovers
Slow burning fog melts away to warm sunshine and reliable coastal breezes, making San Luis Obispo Coast home to one of the world’s longest wine growing seasons and with the natural ability to produce crisp Chardonnays, and juicy and earthy Pinot Noirs by producers such as Sinor-Lavalle, Oceano, Cutruzzola, and Niner Estates.
DECANTER
San Luis Obispo Coast recognised as newest AVA
Closely hugging California’s Pacific coastline is San Luis Obispo Coast, the newest American Viticultural Area (AVA). “Oceano Wines is one of the many acclaimed wineries within the new AVA. They specialize in single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Spanish Springs vineyard, producing fresh, focused, mineral-driven wines that capture the essence of the area.”
THE TASTING PANEL
White Wines Worthy of a Spring Celebration (page 24)
As winter wears on and red-wine malaise sets in, I look forward to the arrival of spring—and, of course, to the white wines that come with it. Some recent events got me in the mood to delve into the category; here are two expressions I found to be exceptional—and well-priced to boot!
ROBERT WHITELY
Oceano Surprises at San Diego Judging
The element of surprise is easily the most scintillating aspect of a “blind” wine tasting. When all bias in favor of region, producer and price is removed, anything can happen and often does.
Such was the case at the 37th San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge from April 6-7. One of the youngest wineries (first vintage 2016) to enter one of the oldest wine competitions in the United States (founded in 1982) scored a stunning, some might even say surprising, triumph when the 2017 Oceano Spanish Springs Vineyard Chardonnay ($38) emerged as the domestic Wine of the Year at the venerable competition.
TERRORIST
Wine Reviews: California Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – they grow together, and they go together. And, this week, I’ve got a fresh batch of Chards and Pinots from California.
In this report, I tasted two vintages of Chardonnay from Oceano, which is owned and operated by Rachel Martin of Virginia’s Boxwood Estate. The fruit is sourced from the slops of Price Canyon in San Luis Obispo County, and the vineyard is located less than two miles from the coast. The wines were fermented and aged at Caldwell Vineyards in Napa. These wines really impressed me with their lively, salty, oceanic vibes, and I’m excited to see they have a Pinot Noir coming soon, too.
SANTÉ
Why X Marks the Spot for Selling Wine
The note came from out of the blue, the blue of the Pacific as it turns out.
“First, to reintroduce myself; my name is Rachel Martin and I am the owner of Oceano Wines in San Luis Obispo County. We have met before in relation to my family’s winery, Boxwood Winery in Middleburg VA.”
Indeed we had. Martin’s family, which once owned the Washington Redskins, is one of a group of Virginia winery owners who took the task seriously and who helped make the region as respected as it is today. Now, she, along with music, film and theater producer Kurt Deutsch, was making wine on the West Coast.
WASHINGTON POST
5 wines perfect for Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day approaching, romance is in the air, so I’ve included two wines in this week’s recommendations made by vintners who are planning their weddings. They include an outstanding chardonnay from California’s Central Coast and a quirky sparkling red wine from Virginia. A modestly priced champagne and two classic zinfandels round out the selection.
CHEDDAR
It’s Chardonnay Weather….Somewhere
Kurt Deustch and Rachel Martin were strangers seated together at a film festival, and that fortuitous meeting turned into a wine company. The vintners of Oceano wines join Cheddar to celebrate the launch of their new line.
2018 Oceano Chardonnay “A blast of passion fruit lifts from the glass when you pick up this vibrant Central Coast chardonnay from the new San Luis Obispo AVA. It’s crisp and energetic, with a lightly saline end.” – Ray Isle
VINOUS
San Luis Obispo: At the Edge of the Ocean (Apr 2022)
– 92 point rating
– Drinking Window 2025 – 2034
Brilliant red. Primary, spice-accented cherry and black raspberry aromas open up slowly and pick up suggestions of woodsmoke and succulent herbs along the way. Shows fine definition and cut to the bitter cherry, red berry, dark chocolate, and baking spice flavors, which turn sweeter on the back half. Youthfully gripping tannins frame a long, chewy finish that echoes the cherry and spice notes. By all means, give this youthful Pinot some air if you’re planning on opening a bottle any time soon.
EDIBLE SAN LUIS OBISPO
A Passion for the Process: The Art of Winemaking
Drinking a glass of wine while disconnecting from the outside noise and drawing inward is a special ritual, one that is so simple, it can be easy to forget the intensive labor required to fill that glass.
PROTEA FINANCIAL
Protea Conversations: Rachel Martin
In April 2021 we spend time with Rachel Martin. A unique combination of education and experience brought Rachel Martin to launch Oceano Wines with husband and co-proprietor, Kurt Deutsch in 2016. A Virginia native, Martin was present at the inception of what is now considered one of that state’s premier wine producers, Boxwood Estate Winery, in 2005.
VINOUS
San Luis Obispo: Excellence Hiding in Plain Sight
It’s an ongoing mystery to me that, aside from a small handful of producers, San Luis Obispo hasn’t received the attention it deserves for its almost universally high quality wines. In the excellent 2018 vintage, SLO’s wineries outdid themselves.
FORBES
From Medical School To Winemaking: Marbue Marke’s Journey To Success
Growing up in Freetown, Sierra Leone on the West Coast of Africa, Marbue Marke believed he would follow in the footsteps of his mother, uncles, and other family members and become a physician. His grandparents introduced him to wine during traditional Sunday family dinners, which awakened in him a passion that became his calling. As a student at the University of California, Davis, which happens to have a world-renowned winemaking program, Marke realized that he did not want to go on to medical school, and he switched his studies to the Department of Viticulture and Enology there.
JANE UNCHAINED
Picking flowers
Central Coast, California, July 16, 2020 — San Luis Obispo’s Oceano Wines, producer of premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from San Luis Obispo, announced today that, starting with the 2019 vintage, its platinum award-winning premium “wine of the year” Chardonnay and fine Pinot Noir have earned the BevVeg vegan certification through BeVeg International, a leading vegan certifier that ensures vegan compliance from every stage of the beverage production process.
VINEPAIR
25 of the Best Chardonnays for 2020
Allow us to reintroduce you to Chardonnay. The backbone of French white Burgundy and Chablis, Chardonnay remains the most popular white wine grape in the United States. Sure, it got a bad rap at the end of the 20th century due to the number of overly oaky “butter bombs” being produced, but it’s easier now than ever before to find fantastic Chardonnays that do the storied, versatile grape justice.
VINEPAIR
25 of the Best Pinot Noirs for 2020
Ever since Paul Giamatti waxed poetic about the “thin-skinned, temperamental” Pinot Noir in the 2004 film “Sideways,” the noble grape has seen its popularity with wine drinkers skyrocket. Pop culture stardom aside, there’s a lot to know and love about Pinot Noir: The fickle and terroir-driven grape is admired for such qualities as its deep red color, notes of luscious berries and smoke — and, sometimes, prohibitive prices.
VINOUS
San Luis Obispo: Solidifying an Identity
The best-known region within San Luis Obispo County is, of course, Paso Robles. However, most wines that carry the San Luis Obispo designation bear little resemblance to those from that AVA, emphasizing elegance and energy over ripeness and strength.
MODERN LUXURY MAGAZINE
Women of Influence – The Perfect 10
Rachel Martin combined her lifelong passion for fine wine and 20 years of experience in the business when she launched Oceano Wines in 2016. Today, Oceano Wines is on the cutting edge of new style California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with vintages that are refreshing, well balanced and food friendly.
SANTÉ
Women in Wine
To kick off Women’s History Month, we’d like to take a closer look at a few of the women of wine who are paving the way for others in the industry. These women who are listed below serve in a variety of roles in the wine world, proving that a woman really can do anything that she sets her mind to.
THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER
Oceano Wines brings the taste of San Luis Obispo to the East Coast
Rachel Martin, who co-founded Oceano Wines in San Luis Obispo, can truly be described as bicoastal. Before Oceano, she established Boxwood Winery in Middleburg, Virginia with her stepfather, John Kent Cooke, and spearheaded an arduous effort to establish the certified appellation there.
DAILY STAR JOURNAL
Ben on Wine: The wine searcher
I have always preached that much of the fun of wine is trying new varieties and/or little known producers. Recently, two gems from a winery that was unknown to me, crossed my desk or should I say my palate; the wines of Spanish Springs Vineyards.
FORBES
Rachel Martin, A Force In Virginia Wine, Sets Her Sights On A New Wine Region
After working for her family’s Boxwood Estate Winery in Virginia for 15 years, Rachel Martin started her own California wine brand, Oceano, with grapes grown on the San Luis Obispo Coast. She founded Oceano along with her husband, Kurt Deutsch, a music, theater, and film producer who is currently a senior vice president for Warner Music Group.
NAPA VALLEY REGISTER
Allison Levine, Please The Palate: Oceano Wines – Making a splash on the San Luis Obispo coast
The San Luis Obispo coast sits south of Paso Robles and north of Santa Barbara. This pending AVA was first established in the 1870s, and today there are 30 member wineries who all average five miles from the coast. There is a total of 5,000 vineyard acres planted and 20 grape varieties grown, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir taking the lead.
FOOD & WINE
15 California Chardonnays to Drink Now
California Chardonnay is at a strange crossroads right now. There’s no question it’s popular—Chardonnay maintains its status as the most popular wine in the United States, a position it’s had for decades now. At the same time, particularly when I talk to wine drinkers who are younger than 30 or so, there’s no question that California Chardonnay isn’t at the top of the list when it comes to what’s cool; it’s considered the mom grape. Yet the terms people tend to use to define it—buttery, oaky, rich, unctuous—are actually becoming less and less applicable to most California Chardonnays. So when it comes to Chardonnay, what exactly is going on?
WASHINGTON POST
5 things to know about chardonnay, the world’s most popular white wine
Chardonnay is so popular that it is nearly synonymous with white wine. We feel comfortable with it. It’s easy to say, and it sounds like it ends with a smile. Here are five things to know to make your chardonnay experience more meaningful.
PAPERCITY
Best Thanksgiving Wines — a Bottle for Every Table (and Course)
In San Luis Obispo County, very near the Pacific Ocean, lies a vineyard by the name of Spanish Springs. From it, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir emanate, some bottled under the label Oceano Wines. I recently tasted the 2017 Oceano Wines Chardonnay, and it is an intriguing pour.
WINE INDUSTRY NETWORK
AVA Update: SLO to Be Recognized
Ask the American wine consumer to describe San Luis Obispo wine and they will likely tell you about the Paso Robles AVA, its pioneering role in growing Rhône varieties, its first class cabernet sauvignon, and the large number of startup wineries experimenting with pinot noir and any number of specialized grapes. But they may miss the important work being done ‘over the grade’, on the other side of the Santa Lucia Mountains, in the southern part of the county adjacent to the Pacific Coast.
SOUTH FLORIDA REPORTER
Tasting Renowned New Comer “Oceano” Wines
Rachel Martin cut her wine teeth in the mid 2000’s with her involvement in the founding and management of the well-respected Boxwood Vineyards in Middleburg, Va.
PASO ROBLES MAGAZINE
Chardonnay – A Perfect Summer Into Fall Transition Wine
We’re almost at the tail end of summer and some of us will soon be reaching for red wines to replace the refreshing whites. But do we really want to give up the whites altogether?
RED WINE WITH BREAKFAST
What To Drink Now: SLO Coast Wines Today On KXAS-TV/NBC DFW
The influence the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans have on wines throughout the northern and southern hemisphere is significant, creating refreshing effects on delicate fruit as cooling breezes blow through vines off the water. From Spain to Uruguay, Oregon to Chile, California to New Zealand, wines of the world benefit from the intoxicating rhythms of our oceans.
LOUDON TIMES
Virginia wine veteran partners with local group to release Wine for Women’s Equality
Middleburg native and California vintner Rachel Martin has teamed up with a Leesburg-based organization, Just Good Business, to release the “Wine for Women’s Equality” in support of ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, or ERA, an amendment aimed at guaranteeing equal rights to men and women under the Constitution.
THE CHALK REPORT
WINE REVIEW: 2017 Oceano Chardonnay, Spanish Springs Vineyard, San Luis Obispo County ($44)
Oceano is a lean, acidic style of Chardonnay that is out of the California mainstream. It’s lively, bright flavors make it compatible with a wide variety of food. For example, chicken, turkey, white fish, salmon and pork. Also Asian flavors such as Vietnamese soups, Thai curry, etc.
THE CHALK REPORT
WINE REVIEW: 2018 Oceano Pinot Noir, Spanish Springs Vineyard, San Luis Obispo County, CA ($45)
Put this Pinot Noir from a tiny winery in California’s central coast as one to watch out for. Oceano owner Rachel Martin makes just Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from San Luis Obispo County grapes. Winemaker Marbue Marke, trained at UC Davis and is now based in Napa, makes the journey to SLO to oversee things.
WINE SEARCHER
Why X Marks the Spot for Selling Wine
“I don’t think of marketing as being generation-specific,” says Rachel Martin, co-owner of San Luis Obispo’s Oceano. “That said, I was born in 1971, right in the middle of Generation X. The way I look at the world, including marketing Oceano, is framed by my experience.
DECANTER
California’s San Luis Obispo Coast for wine lovers
Slow burning fog melts away to warm sunshine and reliable coastal breezes, making San Luis Obispo Coast home to one of the world’s longest wine growing seasons and with the natural ability to produce crisp Chardonnays, and juicy and earthy Pinot Noirs by producers such as Sinor-Lavalle, Oceano, Cutruzzola, and Niner Estates.
DECANTER
San Luis Obispo Coast recognised as newest AVA
Closely hugging California’s Pacific coastline is San Luis Obispo Coast, the newest American Viticultural Area (AVA). “Oceano Wines is one of the many acclaimed wineries within the new AVA. They specialize in single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Spanish Springs vineyard, producing fresh, focused, mineral-driven wines that capture the essence of the area.”
THE TASTING PANEL
White Wines Worthy of a Spring Celebration (page 24)
As winter wears on and red-wine malaise sets in, I look forward to the arrival of spring—and, of course, to the white wines that come with it. Some recent events got me in the mood to delve into the category; here are two expressions I found to be exceptional—and well-priced to boot!
ROBERT WHITELY
Oceano Surprises at San Diego Judging
The element of surprise is easily the most scintillating aspect of a “blind” wine tasting. When all bias in favor of region, producer and price is removed, anything can happen and often does.
Such was the case at the 37th San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge from April 6-7. One of the youngest wineries (first vintage 2016) to enter one of the oldest wine competitions in the United States (founded in 1982) scored a stunning, some might even say surprising, triumph when the 2017 Oceano Spanish Springs Vineyard Chardonnay ($38) emerged as the domestic Wine of the Year at the venerable competition.
TERRORIST
Wine Reviews: California Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – they grow together, and they go together. And, this week, I’ve got a fresh batch of Chards and Pinots from California.
In this report, I tasted two vintages of Chardonnay from Oceano, which is owned and operated by Rachel Martin of Virginia’s Boxwood Estate. The fruit is sourced from the slops of Price Canyon in San Luis Obispo County, and the vineyard is located less than two miles from the coast. The wines were fermented and aged at Caldwell Vineyards in Napa. These wines really impressed me with their lively, salty, oceanic vibes, and I’m excited to see they have a Pinot Noir coming soon, too.
SANTÉ
Why X Marks the Spot for Selling Wine
The note came from out of the blue, the blue of the Pacific as it turns out.
“First, to reintroduce myself; my name is Rachel Martin and I am the owner of Oceano Wines in San Luis Obispo County. We have met before in relation to my family’s winery, Boxwood Winery in Middleburg VA.”
Indeed we had. Martin’s family, which once owned the Washington Redskins, is one of a group of Virginia winery owners who took the task seriously and who helped make the region as respected as it is today. Now, she, along with music, film and theater producer Kurt Deutsch, was making wine on the West Coast.
WASHINGTON POST
5 wines perfect for Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day approaching, romance is in the air, so I’ve included two wines in this week’s recommendations made by vintners who are planning their weddings. They include an outstanding chardonnay from California’s Central Coast and a quirky sparkling red wine from Virginia. A modestly priced champagne and two classic zinfandels round out the selection.
CHEDDAR
It’s Chardonnay Weather….Somewhere
Kurt Deustch and Rachel Martin were strangers seated together at a film festival, and that fortuitous meeting turned into a wine company. The vintners of Oceano wines join Cheddar to celebrate the launch of their new line.
2018 Oceano Chardonnay “A blast of passion fruit lifts from the glass when you pick up this vibrant Central Coast chardonnay from the new San Luis Obispo AVA. It’s crisp and energetic, with a lightly saline end.” – Ray Isle
