Today we’d like to introduce you to Glen Caughell.
Hi Glen, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
We, Glen & Laurel, have been working and making wines on the Central Coast of California for over a decade. Both Cal Poly SLO alumni, we started our careers in Paso Robles, working in the cellar, running lab analysis and eventually getting into enologist/assistant winemaker roles. As worked moved us further north we moved to Monterey County and through working with the vineyards in Monterey and neighboring counties. we quickly learned how special the wines from this area can be and knew we wanted to be part of the local wine community. Since starting in the wine industry we’ve always dreamed of the day we could make our own wines that represent us and our passion and love for wine. Together we’ve started Lyndon Fog Cellars.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Starting Lyndon Fog Cellars was a “building the plane while flying it” endeavor. I think we made the decision to start a couple months before the grapes were ready to pick so we had to move fast and learn a lot at during the busiest time of year. Prior to starting Lyndon Fog Cellars, we’d been pretty removed from a lot of the legal side of the wine industry. That paperwork; filing to form an LLC, getting permitting and licenses with the TTB and ABC and reporting taxes with the CDTFA, were all very new. It felt like we spent a lot of evenings researching every little field to complete on several of those agencies required paperwork.
From a winemaking standpoint, not necessarily a serious struggle, but only making a few barrels really forces you to be resourceful on a small level. You need lots of little vessels, which takes time to clean and sanitize, plus a lot of small movements that can take time. Its challenging but also the best part.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Our wines are a representation of us and our winemaking style. Our grapes come from vineyards we believe produce the best quality grapes to make the wines in the style we want; well balanced and fruit forward allowing you to enjoy them with a variety of food or as a glass on their own. We are conscientious of the inputs we use in our wines and strive to balance letting the vineyards and sites express themselves while still embracing modern winemaking. Put another way, we don’t add much to the grapes other than our preferred yeast strain and some nutrients so they can do what they do best. What sets us apart is our commitment to crafting unique wines from Chenin blanc, Grenache and Syrah, each reflecting the character of the region and demonstrating its remarkable suitability for these varietal. We are very proud that our first vintage of these wines 91pts, 93pts and 93pts from Wine Enthusiast with the Syrah also being awarded “Editors Choice”.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Our authenticity is most important to our success. By staying true to the vineyards we source from and crafting wines that express the character of our region, we create wines that are distinctive and represent us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lyndonfogcellars.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyndonfogcellars/
