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Villa San-Juliette Vineyard & Winery
PASO ROBLES
The story of Villa San-Juliette isn't quite what you'd expect. It involves a reality
show, William Shakespeare, and two wildly creative Hollywood producers.
Intrigued? Wait until you try the wine.
It all began in 2005 with a show called Corkscrewed: The Wrath of Grapes,
a television reality series following the trials and exploits of Ken Warwick
and Nigel Lythgoe. The award-winning entertainment producers were on a
mission to make their long-held dream of owning a vineyard come to life.
Once childhood friends in the backstreets of Liverpool, the pair would grow
up to produce the American primetime hit, American Idol.
With a success story as big as Ken and Nigel's, it's no surprise that the
two have spent their lives creating. Their backgrounds include dancing,
choreography, television shows, raising families, and now winemaking. A love
of theater is also apparent, as the winery's name pays homage to Romeo and
Juliet. Because the architectural design of the villa features many balconies,
the owners couldn't help but think of the famous romantic play. The Tuscan-
inspired winery lives up to the beauty—and expectations—of its name.
Located in the Paso Robles Estrella District, Villa San-Juliette boasts 168 acres
of breathtaking vineyards yielding a diverse range of estate-grown wines,
carefully crafted by winemaker Dan Smith. The award-winning wines are
balanced and complex with the richness and intense varietal character that
Paso Robles' wines are known for. Vineyard manager Eufemio Saucedo works
side by side with Dan to craft 12 varietals and two red blends. They are all are
grown and produced on the estate vineyard: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
FACING PAGE: Winemaker Dan Smith prepares the cellar to
welcome the first fruit of the new vintage.
ABOVE: Proprietors Ken and Julie Warwick sip their
favorite VSJ wines on the beautiful gardens of Villa
San-Juliette
Photographs by Brandon Stier
SAN LUIS OBSIPO COUNTY
