Somms Like It Hot
The wine cellar at San Ysidro Ranch
Stephane Colling
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have met and learned from some of the most inspiring winemakers over the years, including Philippe Blanck and Albert Seltz, both from my hometown of Alsace, [France],” says STEPHANE COLLING, owner of Montecito-based wine advisory and concierge service, 750mls. “[They] became early mentors who shaped not only the way I understood wine, but also the importance of humility, sense of place, and relationships.” Those relationships—along with his obvious passion for wine—have defined his nearly 35-year career as a trusted resource for all things ready-to-drink and collectible.
1988 Barbaresco, Gaja: “Beautifully mature: dried cherry, rose petal, tobacco, cedar, and earthy spice.”
Moving to the U.S. in 1989, Colling landed in New York. By the time he was 18, he received a sommelier certification that solidified his vine-laden path. “There have been countless wines and experiences that have marked me in different ways,” he says, “from sharing a dinner with [French winemaker] Lalou Bize-Leroy to an unforgettable deep-dive tasting with Olivier Krug at the winery.” Other career-defining experiences have included tenures with Michelin-starred chefs like Alain Ducasse, Joël Robuchon, and Daniel Boulud, as well as a three-year stint as wine director for The Modern at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2011 Colling relocated to the West Coast, first for the role of food and beverage director at San Ysidro Ranch and, later, for tenures with Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos and the historic hillside El Encanto hotel in Santa Barbara.
When asked about his most impressive career highlights to date, Colling mentioned two. The first came to fruition in 2023—two years after founding his bespoke wine service—when Château d’Yquem offered Colling a 130-plus bottle collection that he acquired for San Ysidro Ranch’s Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning wine cellar at the Stonehouse restaurant. “Those kinds of offers don’t cross my desk every day,” he says, noting that the earliest vintage was from 1811. The second highlight involved a longstanding private client who, when he became a parent, began collecting wines from the birth years of his children. “Today, each child has a collection waiting for them: bottles chosen at birth, carefully stored, and destined to be opened for future milestones.”
Rob Smits
This past June, Caruso’s at Rosewood Miramar Beach received the Wine Spectator Grand Award, the world’s highest honor for a restaurant wine program, With just two years at the helm, director of wine ROB SMITS had a big role in earning the prestigious accolade. “We have worked to create a collection that celebrates both iconic producers from around the world and the remarkable wines of Santa Barbara,” he said, adding it was a recognition made possible “when a wine program is built with equal parts ambition and authenticity.”
For Smits, that ambition peaked after he graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a Bachelor of Science in history. “When I was growing up, my uncle made wine at [his] house, and he’d bring it as gifts for Christmas,” he says. “It was kind of inspiring when I was a kid, and I knew that when I was old enough, I’d make wine, too, so after college I moved to Santa Rosa.”
Chartogne-Taillet Hors Serie Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2018: “Delivers remarkable tension, structural precision, and chalky minerality.
Shortly after his arrival in Northern California’s coastal wine region, Smits befriended winemakers and bought winemaking equipment from a couple who’d been garage vintners for 30 years. “I made Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in my own garage. I think the first vintages were 2009 and 2010.” He went on to become the wine director for Farmshop in Larkspur and, later, Mason Pacific in San Francisco before joining The MINA Group as head sommelier for the San Francisco 49ers. Not surprisingly, his history degree has come in handy over the years. “I talk a lot about history, geography, and politics when narrating wine lists,” he says. “And we’ve developed a very historical presentation for [Caruso’s] list that’s been really beneficial to the program.”
David Fainberg
Growing up in the San Bernardino County community of Lake Arrowhead, DAVID FAINBERG, now wine director of San Ysidro Ranch, was looking to make a little extra money during high school when he took his first job at a fine dining restaurant next to his parents’ jewelry store. “I got a job as a busboy there, worked my way up through the ranks, and really found a passion for hospitality,” he says. “A friend of mine ended up purchasing the restaurant and suggested I try making a career out of it.” Realizing wine was arguably the most fun aspect of that work, Fainberg aced his first-level sommelier exam, and the rest is history.
Domaine Génot-Boulanger, Meursault-Bouchères 1er cru 2022: “Bright and precise, with citrus, orchard blossom, and minerality.”
Even after a year-long foray under Chef Kyle Connaughton at Healdsburg’s three-Michelin-starred SingleThread Farm and two-and-a-half years at San Ysidro Ranch, Fainberg still thinks about the biggest influence on his chosen métier. “Mark Sullivan was kind of this grizzled representative for Regal Wine Company when I was still living in Lake Arrowhead,” he says. “And when I really started to show interest [in wine], he would come in and buy bottles off our list, open them with me, and talk through what made them so special. He made such an impression on me and helped me see what a future as a wine professional could look like.”
Earlier this year Fainberg traveled through France’s renowned Bordeaux wine region, which, he says, “reinvigorated my passion for what we do here at San Ysidro Ranch.” Since his arrival, the cellar’s Bordeaux selection has grown substantially as the award-winning collection continues to broaden. “We’ve recently brought in a lot of wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and now there’s a focus on developing our Italian [wine] program.” Cheers to that.
