Matt KettmannWriter at Large
Reviews wines from California.
Matt Kettmann reviews and reports on wines from the Central and South Coasts of California for the magazine. A fifth-generation Californian originally from San Jose, Kettmann is a senior editor for The Santa Barbara Independent, the weekly newspaper/daily website where he started his journalism career in 1999 after graduating from UC-Santa Barbara with an anthropology degree. He's reported on wine and more for for the New York Times, Time Magazine and Wine Spectator, among other publications. He is the author of Vines & Visions: The Winemakers of Santa Barbara County, a 632-page profile of the region, and is currently updating the Southern California chapter for The Oxford Companion to Wine. Kettmann has made small batches of noncommercial wine almost every vintage since 2012, and lives in the Santa Barbara suburbs with his Bordeaux-born wife and their two kids, where they grow one vine of Zinfandel, originally from Santa Cruz Island.
Recent Articles and Reviews
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The Coming of Cool-Climate Grenache May 19, 2023 With meticulous farming and patient winemaking, vintners are turning the sun-loving grape into something intensely…
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California's Rare Snow-Covered Vineyards Are a Treat for Some, Test for Others February 28, 2023 Winemakers across the Golden State shared photos and videos skiing, snowboarding and enjoying the unprecedented…
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Sta. Rita Hills Is More Than Just Pinot-Land January 2, 2023 How did this region rise so quickly to international acclaim? Spoiler, it's more than just…
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Is the Carmel Coast California's Next Pinot Noir Star? December 13, 2022 Inside the push for a new appellation focused on fresh Pinot Noir and saline Chardonnay.

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Summerland 2019 Clone 667 Theresa Noelle Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) Tart pomegranate and cranberry aromas are cut by orange rind and rose petal on the… 89 Points $75
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Sculpterra 2020 Figurine Red (Paso Robles) Asphalt and dried berry aromas show on the nose of this blend of 48% Primitivo,… 89 Points $60
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Sculpterra 2020 Bentley Ironworks Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) Cranberry, seasoning salts and light pepper aromas show on the nose of this bottling. The… 89 Points $76
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Fog & Light 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) Oregano and anise make for a rustic, herbal entry to the nose of this bottling,… 89 Points $35
