ELLIOTT DOLIN – PROPRIETOR, DOLIN MALIBU ESTATE VINEYARDS
Inspired by a Chardonnay vineyard that Elliott and Lynn Dolin planted behind their Malibu home in 2006, Dolin Estate quickly emerged as one of the leading producers of estate Chardonnay in the Malibu Coast. Today its Malibu production has grown to include a second Chardonnay from Malibu Newton Canyon and two proprietary Malibu Coast red blends.
With the 2012 vintage, Dolin Estate broadened its scope beyond the boundaries of Malibu with a line of Central Coast Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. The lineup includes a range of regional blends and single-vineyard designated bottles from revered sites such as Bien Nacido Vineyard, Solomon Hills Vineyard and John Sebastiano Vineyard.
The Dolin Malibu Coast Estate
The Dolin property sits at 400-ft. elevation just off Point Dume State Beach, where it benefits from a coastal microclimate with cool foggy mornings and large diurnal shifts. The site is laid out at a 45-degree eastward facing angle on the property’s sharply grated, south-oriented slope. The blend of Zuma volcanic soils and sandy loam has proven to be a perfect fit for Chardonnay.
Malibu Coast AVA
In 2011, wanting to offer a greater “sense of place” to the region, Elliott helped spearhead the establishment of the Malibu Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA) alongside other Malibu vintners. The Malibu Coast AVA is 46 miles long and eight miles wide, with the majority situated within the Santa Monica National Recreational Area.
Winemaking:
Respected Central Coast winemaker Kirby Anderson brings decades of experience and takes a mindful approach to winemaking at every stage of production, from harvest to bottling, to make balanced wines with rich fruit, bright acidity and voluptuous texture. He makes monthly visits to Malibu during the growing season to meet with Elliott and monitor the development of the fruit. Elliott in turn frequently travels to the winery and vineyards in the Central Coast to offer direction and feedback on the winemaking.
Current Releases:
Current releases include the Dolin Malibu Estate Chardonnay ($39), the Dolin Newton Canyon Chardonnay ($39) and the Dolin Bien Nacido Chardonnay ($39). The Pinot Noir releases include a Sta. Rita Hills designate Pinot Noir ($32), and single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from such vineyards as Bien Nacido ($45), Talley ‘Rincon’ ($45) and Solomon Hills ($45). Wines may be purchased directly at www.dolinestate.com.
ABOUT ELLIOTT DOLIN, PROPRIETOR
There’s an ethereal halo of positivity surrounding Elliott Dolin that immediately sets one at ease. It’s clear that this energy has fueled much of his journey through life. He works hard and stays true to himself and, in return, fate has guided him through the successful pursuit of his passions.”
Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Northern New Jersey, Elliott spent much of his childhood in and around metropolitan Manhattan. Most Saturdays and school vacations found him working at his father’s electronics store in Lower Manhattan. By the age of 13, Elliott had developed a passion for the music of The Beach Boys, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and like many of his peers, he dreamed of playing in a band. He “picked up” the electric bass guitar to round out the lineup in a fledgling local band developing his talent to the point where he was getting hired for paid working gigs.
He actively sought out varied and diverse opportunities to hone his skills and develop connections. By In the early 1970’s, he played bass for the original Manhattan Transfer prior to their signing with Columbia Records. After a stint with a Jersey Shore band by the name of “Lazarus,” Elliott was also approached to join the band of then-unknown local musician Bruce Springsteen. Instead, he opted for an opportunity to volunteer to go to Israel for six months. He considers this a fortunate choice because, as he says, “I have no regrets. My choices led me here, and there is no other place that I would rather be.”
When Elliott returned to the U.S. in 1974, he sought a change of pace from the urban lifestyle of Manhattan. He packed up his red Peugeot and drove to Nashville, which had become “the” scene and a place to actually make a living playing music. There, Elliott spent several years on tour as the band leader and bassist for Grammy-award winning country music artist Donna Fargo, and he later played with legends like Ray Price and Brenda Lee. His most memorable experience was working as a staff musician for Country Music Hall of Fame producer Jack Clement, playing on recording sessions alongside Nashville’s top session players and often getting to jam with legends such as Johnny Cash, John Prine and Don Everly.
Elliott’s success as a working musician enabled him to save enough money to invest in two duplexes. His first was bought with the intention of renting out half the property, knowing it would cover much of his mortgage and help to offset the unpredictability of life as a musician. By the time he purchased the second he had caught the real estate bug, a passion that would soon develop into a career. In 1983, he decided to make the move to California, Elliott looked to the future. He attained his real estate license and studied real estate investment analysis at UCLA, transitioning into a career in commercial real estate investment.
Shortly after meeting his wife, Lynn, in the early 1990’s, a passion for wine developed alongside his other lifelong passion for cars. He fell in with the legendary ‘Sauvage’ tasting group in Los Angeles where he tasted many of the great wines of the world. This inspired him to start his collection and to begin studying about wine. At the same time Elliott and Lynn pursued a passion for restoring vintage cars, and displayed their automobiles at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on multiple occasions. Elliott has also participated in numerous road touring events, including Italy’s world renowned Mille Miglia. As Elliott describes it, “Driving through medieval villages in a caravan of rare and exotic vintage sports cars, with crowds lining the streets and cheering you on, is an experience of a lifetime!”
Much like the winding roads of the Mille Miglia, Elliott’s life has been unpredictable, characterized by twists and turns, but always guided by purpose and the desire to execute at the highest level. It should be no surprise then that in 2006, while Elliott and Lynn were restoring their recently purchased Malibu home, he recognized the opportunity to indulge his passion for wine and grow Chardonnay vines. “The idea to grow grapes came to me, like a light bulb went off in my head,” he says. “It just made sense.” To that end, he sought out the services of local vineyard consultant Bob Tobias, and three years later the maiden vintage of Dolin Estate Chardonnay was born. “The idea has always been for us to make the best possible wine from the best possible fruit,” Elliott emphasizes.
WWW.DOLINESTATE.COM
ROBIN KELLEY O'CONNOR - WINE SPECIALIST, BLOGGER AND SOMMELIER – HOLIDAY WINE TRENDS
A leading wine educator, international wine judge, wine writer, and sommelier, Robin Kelley O’Connor is a leading wine expert. His thirty years of experience, authority and passion enable captivating seminars, dinner events and wine education and allows him to offer an unparalleled suite of services to corporations and individuals from around the world.
Robin serves as a guest wine instructor and examiner for the Intensive Sommelier Training program at the International Culinary Center. ICC is one of the leading culinary educational institutions in the U.S., with campuses in New York and Napa Valley. It is a world class institution dedicated to the culinary arts and vinous education.
Mr. O’Connor was previously Lead Specialist & Head of Wine,
Americas for Christie’s Auction House. He is a Christie’s trained charity auctioneer. Prior to Christie’s, he was Director of Sales and Education for Manhattan wine and spirits retailer Sherry-Lehmann, winner of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 2010 Wine Retailer of the Year Award. Preceding Sherry-Lehmann, he was Trade Liaison and director of trade and consumer education in the Americas for the Bordeaux Wine Bureau (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) for 20 years. He remains intimately involved with the Bordeaux wine community and was the first American to be certified as an International Bordeaux Wine Educator.
Robin also has worked with Italian Wine Merchants (IWM), where he was the Director of Education, resident Bordeaux expert, weekly contributor to the IWM blog and "Expert Picks," as well as a member of the editorial team for the daily IWM e-Newsletter.
Robin holds Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and Certified Wine Educator (CWE) certifications from the Society of Wine Educatorsand passed the Court of Master Sommeliers Certified Sommelier exam. O'Connor served as president of the Society of Wine Educators from 2003-2007, is on the board of directors of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Wine & Food and has been a regular panelist at the Food and Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen for over 25 years. He speaks annually at Pebble Beach Food and Wine, the premiere epicurean lifestyle event on the West Coast.
As a popular wine educator and spokesperson, he has conducted over 2,500 seminars; written for the Trenton Times, Santé Magazine, Wine & Spirit; and served as senior editor for Kevin Zraly’s Complete Wine Course 25th Anniversary Edition. For over a year during 2008-2009 he traveled around the world with Kevin visiting over 20 Countries, 80 wine regions, 500 appellations and tasted more than 7,000 wines.
Among his many professional honors, Mr. O’Connor bears the distinction of induction into the wine world’s most prestigious institutions, including the Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc- des Graves et de Sauternes-Barsac, the Jurade de Saint-Emilion and Les Hospitaliers de Pomerol.
WWW.RKOVINE.COM
