Clos Pepe

My children took me wine tasting as a Mothers Day gift
Clos Pepe Estates was by far my favorite place to visit.
Andrew is very knowledgeable and generous to share his love of the vine.
The actual wine tasting in the beautiful main house with appetizers and wonderful wines was the best.
Don’t miss this, it is a great experience.
Met Winemakers Wes & Chanda Hagen, very gracious couple.

When I arrived at Clos Pepe I was not knowing what to expect. I was up with my car club. Were they a high pressure wine house? Were they a snooty white gloved pretentious place that you had to hold the wineglass with your pinky extended? Or a mad monk hair shirt single focused obsessed wine maker where the process of making wine includes human sacrifice and no fun?
Thank the wine gods Clos Pepe was none of the above.
Clos Pepe is Wes and his Partner in Wine Crime Andrew. Two relaxed fun loving guys. But serious winemakers. Serious like that English teacher that drilled you on past participles or questions your use of Iambic Pentameter over Blank Verse. And he is right to do that. They let the wines speak for themselves with their comments and explanations putting the wine into laser sharp focus. Without the hucksterism. Clos Pepe is a relaxed place. They know what to grow to produce superior Chardonnay and Pinot Nior. But they also work with other varietals to learn and grow. The Guanches, a week old, was a revelation. Changing one’s thoughts on wine. Like I said, they are serious students of wines. The glee when introducing each type of wine was infectious as well as their frank and forthright answers to questions. The «we work hard, have fun and produce great wine» should be the motto.
I have become a fan.

Truly inspiring to be part of this one of a kind club and private tasting. Knowledge, beauty and delicious wines pour from the geological wonders of Clos Pepe in the Santa Rita Hills! A must experience!

You simply cannot visit Santa Rita Hills or the surrounding areas, without making an appointment to visit Wes Hagen at Clos Pepe. The tour of the vineyard, and the education/​history Wes provides is priceless. You’ll walk away as though you just completed a vinticultur course at UC Davis! Wes is generous, and beyond entertaining. Just a great guy.
After your tour, you’ll have the pleasure to taste the best Pinot (I’ll take it over any Pinot, anywhere… its that good!), Chardonnay, and varietals paired with artisan cheeses, meats, olive oil, and fresh baked bread. Wes is an expert in pairing.
My suggestion is to try to end your tasting trip with Wes. You’ll wonder why you went anywhere else.
My husband and I have had the privilege of hosting a private tasting with Wes in our home. It was one of the best evenings we can remember! We recommend booking a private event with Wes if you have the opportunity.
Wes and Clos Pepe is beyond 5 star!

I had the privilege to take some guests to Clos Pepe for a private tour and tasting and it is the best wine tasting experience anywhere. The wines are exceptional and I have been drinking them for years. My guests were blown away by the quality of the wine but also by the formidable tour by Andrew, the tasting, paired with delicious cheeses, the gorgeous setting and the warm hospitality. This is a rare find and must be experienced when visiting the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Ynez Valley.
Thank you, Andrew, Wes, Cathy and Steve!

We had a tasting with Wes today and had an incredible time at Clos Pepe. Wes is the wine maker and gave us an educational vineyard tour to start. From there we proceeded to the main house and tasting room where we were served a wine and cheese pairing that was second to none!
I’d never heard of Clos Pepe before, but now they are at the top my list for wineries in this area. Wes is very knowledgeable about wine making as well as many other things.
Our family has been to many wineries all over California and our experience at Clos Pepe was memorable! Thanks again Wes and we sincerely hope you will come and visit us in Hawaii.

Wes (the winemaker) gives an excellent little vinyard tour with lots of interesting science and hisorical tid bits. One of the BEST tasting experiences we have had.

Probably the most informative tour I’ve been on. Wes is a veritable fountain of information. The wines were excellent; joined the club. Will make this a must-​stop every time we’re in the area.

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a private tour of the vineyard. I had a lot of family visiting from Los Angeles and Andrew did an amazing job of explaining the wine making process as well as Clos Pepe’s sustainable practices.
Following the tour of the vineyard he invited us back to the «big house» for a tasting in the kitchen. The wines were paired with artisan cheeses. This was the perfect way to start our day of tasting.
My Uncle forgot his prescription sunglasses at the house and Andrew went out of his way to make sure he was able to pick them up the following day!
Clos Pepe is now on my permanent list of places to visit when I go tasting.

In my humble opinion, the true quality test for a winery «post tour» is whether it tastes good when you get home. Think of it this way: when you are at the vineyard with a charming host and you walk among the grapes, even the dregs of the barrel taste good. When you get it home, without the ambiance and the charm, the dregs suddenly taste like what they are.
This isn’t to say that your place isn’t charming and full of ambiance. I’m sure it is. However, doesn’t wine taste better with a vineyard view?
Some friends invited us to take the tour with Wes at Clos Pepe. Sure. We are always in for a wine tour. Why not, right?
We showed up and were immediately entranced with the setting. See? Already we are brainwashed with the rolling hills, wildlife, and temptress vines. When Wes walked up and joined the group, the fun really began. Talk about knowledgeable!
I’ll skip ahead, not revealing spoilers, so that you have to come here to experience it yourself. In the end, we joined the wine club and left with a few bottles simply because we do like a little bit of instant gratification.
Fast forward a bit with me. It’s been a month. We reach into our wine fridge and find our hands resting on a bottle from Clos Pepe. We grin a wicked grin knowing that the ultimate taste test has arrived. Unlike Wes, we will serve our wine with a plain, weekday meal, not decanted, and after a busy night. Verdict? Oh, yeah!
Hey there. Wait. Why haven’t you called already and made your own appointment? Don’t forget to thank me for the push.

This is an exceptional wine tour experience: personal, informative, inspiring, delicious. The vineyard tour in a fabulous setting and information that Wes provides is exceptional. We have just completed our 2^nd Clos Pepe tour and are looking forward to the next. The tasting itself in the vineyard owner’s palatial home «seals the experience» with delicious wines, cheese, breads, and ambience. Make the time for Clos Pepe!

Went on a Sunday tour with some close friends and had a Great time. Wes was a great tour guide and we learned an amazing amount about the art of grape growing. This was topped off with the best wine tasting experience we have ever had. The wine was amazing. We bought about 2 cases of a mixture of Reds and whites. If you enjoy great wine don’t miss this vineyard!

All the other reviews say it well. Awesome experience and well worth the time. We went as a group of 6. Three of us joined on the spot. The others will regret not joining, lol. Wes was knowledgable and kept the visit entertaining. Amazing grounds, visit and wine.

Had a great Vineyard tour and tasting this weekend with Wes Hagen, the Winery Manager at Clos Pepe. First, off, if you haven’t tasted any of the the Chards or Pinot’s from this winery go and do so. They are world class wines with phenomenal depth and character.
Wes Hagen was formerly a high school teacher and his dual passions of education and wine making combine for a one-​of-​a-​kind experience. Wes loves to delve into all aspects of the history and craft of wines, from how all modern wines can be traced back to a single vine from somewhere in Soviet Georgia to how the shifting of tectonic plates transformed the Santa Barbara area into the perfect wine growing region. Wes has an engaging style and shows genuine enthusiasm, I highly recommend the tour. Call ahead, it’s by appointment only.

Wes Hagen is a master winemaker and educator and the Clos Pepe vineyard and brand is one of the best in the Santa Rita Hills area. His pinots are world class as are all the wines. Clos Pepe is still flying under the radar when it comes to Wine Spectator and the other wine publications, but I’ve found some of the best wineries in SRH don’t get the press they deserve. Clos Pepe sells their surplus grapes to many other winemakers in California, which gives you an idea of the quality of their vines.
If you get a chance to take a vineyard tour with Wes, jump on it! He takes you out into the vineyards for a thorough education in how winemakers ply their craft, then he sits down with you for a tasting of the entire Clos Pepe line-​up. Two hours up close and personal with one of the most interesting and personable winemakers in the region — a most memorable day indeed. Check out their website for details.

Do you like fermented grape juice? Do you like knowing things? Do you like plants? Then Clos Pepe is the place for you. Before I visited «the Clos» I was like a bandy-​legged barbarian, grunting and shuffling through the mud. Now, I stand erect, spine straight and chin held high, as I swirl my Pinot Noir and say things like «esther» and «terroir».
So you have two choices: Wallow in the mud, or say «terroir.» I’ve made my choice, now it is up to you.
Also, sheep!

Disclaimer — I did not actually visit the winery at the address listed on Unilocal.I was fortunate enough to hear about a barrel tasting that was being held on the very weekend my wife and I planned to visit. The barrel tasting was held in a storage and bottling facility in Lompoc.
The barrel tasting was hosted by the wine maker, Wes Hagan. I can honestly say that is the most I’ve learned about wine in roughly a one hour period. We tasted from several barrels of Chardonnay, both oak and stainless. Then moved on to Pinot Noir. Finally, we moved on to bottles, one Chardonnay, and a 2009 and 2010 Pinot Noir.
I am usually not a Chardonnay fan, but this was not overly buttery like usual Chardonnay. The Pinots… Well, they were simply fantastic. I probably preferred the 2010 to the 2009, but I would be happy drinking either one!
If you ever get the opportunity to visit Clos Pepe, especially if Wes is going to be talking about wine, you’d be a fool not to go.

What a fantastic place to visit. Went to the all-​stars weekend and enjoyed a great array of pizzas, cheeses, fruits, nuts, breads and of course their fantastic wines and sparklers. Thanks again Wes and Chandra. First class all the way.

Place is simply awesome example of clean, high acid, Pinots (though they will make wine that represents the vintage). If you go for a tasting, they have some rules that you might think are pretty funny. This is a wine geek experience. If you’re not interested in vast wine knowledge and takes wine seriously this isn’t for you.
Wes Hagen, the Clos Pepe winemaker, was our guide. He’s a former High School English teacher and gives his tour with an educational flourish that is rare and much appreciated. He’ll review a few things including vineyard’s aims, Santa Rita Hills geologic and viticultural history, soil, pruning, etc. Pretty much you name it and he can expound upon it. They try to avoid mono-​culture and they incorporate as many species: grasses, sheep, etc, to keep the vineyard healthy. He farms in a scientifically and choosing to adopt common sense rather than extremist philosophies.
Then the tasting in the Pepe house. Everything we tasted was excellent. As soon as Wes was sure we knew something about wine, gossip, the house olive oil (which was excellent, we took a bottle home for a cool climate balance to our usual buttery central valley source), funky cheeses, a new sparkling release, home made sea salt (that’s right HOME-FREAKIN’-MADE salt), and a macchiato. This was an amazing tasting, though he says he’ll be trying to focus on the wine making and tours/​tastings will stop in 2012 unless you know someone who buys direct or you buy direct. If you like leaner Pinots with depth and minerality GET ON THE LIST!
Simply the best tasting I’ve had. You can guarantee I’ll be back.

What a great tasting experience! I contacted the winemaker, Wes Hagen, a couple days in advance hoping for availability. He said that as long as we didn’t mind tasting with a slightly larger group then he’d love to have us. There were four in my group and we joined another 15 or so people at the vineyard.
The tasting started off with a sheep herding exhibition. They use sheep to take care of the weeds and undergrowth instead of herbicides. From there Wes gave us some background on the surrounding area. By background I mean that we gave us a short history lesson going back thousands of years explaining why the soil and mountains are perfect for pinot. To some this may sound a bit boring. Please don’t think that though. This was one of the most entertaining and informative talks I’ve heard in a long time. If college were like that I would be working on my doctorate right now.
After that it was off to the owner’s house for the tasting. First we warmed ourselves by the fire (it was overcast and in the low 50s), but the sun peeked out from behind the clouds and we moved the tasting outside. Great snacks and amazing wines. Gouda, white cheddar, and a buffalo mozzarella drizzled in their olive oil were available with freshly warmed bread. That went with a chardonnay, three pinots from successive years, and a syrah. The pinots were the highlights for me. Wes explained how he likes to make lighter wines that express the terroir in which they were raised instead of higher alcohol fruit bombs. This translated to a wonderfully complex, elegant wine.
After the wines Wes made everybody espressos. I highly recommend Clos Pepe. I only wish they had a membership. I will definitely be stopping back in the future.