2021 Martellotto Senz' Altro Red Wine Santa Barbara County

Most winemakers pick a grape and stick with it. Greg Martellotto looked at the five noble Bordeaux varieties and refused to choose.

Senz Altro means "without a doubt" — and that's exactly the attitude behind it. Cabernet Sauvignon for backbone. Merlot for flesh. Cabernet Franc for lift. Petit Verdot for color and spice. Malbec for the finishing touch. Leaving even one out felt irresponsible, so Greg didn't.

The result isn't a blend that's trying to please everyone. It's a blend that does everything at once — structure, richness, savor, and polish — grown in Santa Barbara County and aged in French oak until the five grapes stop arguing and start singing in unison.

Greg Martellotto has been making wine under it since 2005, drawing on family roots that trace back to Alberobello, Puglia, where his grandfather left for America in 1918.

He's a Certified Italian Wine Ambassador and a Bordeaux-variety specialist working out of Santa Barbara, and the winery stays deliberately small — fewer than 8,000 cases a year across the whole range.

Open it on a Tuesday. Open it by candlelight. Open it for no reason at all. You'll LOVE it regardless.