Join ESB for an evening with Nick Elliot of Nicora Wines
For our final Winemaker Evening of 2020, ESB is featuring Nick from Nicora Wines, who recently became a member of the ‘100-Point’ club! This holy grail of wine ratings was lauded to his 2018 Slide Hill Single-Vineyard Syrah, from Doug Wilder of Purely Domestic Wine Report!
This is a live in-person outdoor event limited to 18 guests. Guests will have a designated space at the venue, and Chef Amy Baer Robinson will provide paired appetizers to enjoy alongside the wines. This event will be held at a private residence in a spacious backyard, with ample room for physical distancing. We ask that all guests respect the personal space of others and maintain distance during this time!
Nick Elliott arrived in Paso Robles in 2001, when he was 19 years old, and four years later began working alongside winemaker Scott Hawley (Torrin Vineyards and Law Estate Wines). Nicora is the blend of two names. The first, Nick, is mine, and the second, Ora, is that of my great-grandfather. Many years ago, my great-grandfather built a business, starting with little more than passion, a dream, and an entrepreneurial spirit. His achievements have been the inspiration behind Nicora. It is my hope our efforts of crafting wines from sought-after Central Coast vineyards will live up to the standards he set.
Nicora was started with little resources, and has been built from the ground up. It truly began in the cellar, where I learned from mentors such as Scott Hawley (Torrin), Eric Jensen (Booker), and Bob Tillman (Alta Colina). I worked for the funds to buy grapes and barrels, and spent many hours with purple hands and wet boots. My dream was to hand craft wines that would be both a personal expression and a reflection of the unique vineyards found within Paso Robles. And now, years later, I’ve also found my way into sought-after vineyards from the Santa Maria Valley. 
At Nicora, I make wine using traditional techniques that are both time and labor intensive. Each year, I try to expand a bit more, whether it be searching out new-to-me vineyards or bottling just a little bit more, if Mother Nature allows. The hope is to not only provide Nicora enthusiasts with unique and exceptional wines, but to give you opportunities to experience the excitement and joy that is found while crafting the wines. I strive to create something so memorable that the wine may make it to your kitchen table to share with friends and family.
Growing up Nick was taught the value of hard work, and you can bet the lessons learned as a child have guided his passion for Nicora. He understands that to do something right one must start at the source. For Nick, and the philosophy behind his wines, the first source is the vineyards. More often than not, Nick can be found in the vineyards he farms. He takes great pride and care for each vine, knowing eventually the fruit will be the source for his bottled wines.
Each wine Nick crafts for Nicora, is comprised of Rhône varieties from noteworthy vineyards that lie on the hills of west Paso Robles. These vineyards – La Vista, Russell Family Vineyard and Shadow Canyon Vineyard – contribute to the lush and bold characteristics found with his small-lot wines. Each vineyard, hand selected not only for the soils that bear the fruit but also for the farmers behind the vines, as they too know great wine starts in the vineyard. These farmers afford Nick the ability to be involved with the fruit from the very start, allowing Nick to create wines that showcase the vineyards he farms, be it a single bottling or by blending together to highlight their individualities as one.
Nick has the opportunity to wear many hats, whether, he likes it or not. From scrubbing floors to blending his wines, Nick will tackle any job to ensure his wines are crafted and cellared with the utmost care. So, it is not a surprise, that every now and again, when the work is done, Nick ventures away from the vineyards and cellar. When he does this, he does this by hitting the open-roads in an RV within the great United States. From quick weekend trips up the breathtaking coast of California to trips through multiple states, he is always up for an adventure. Come on, he isn’t a winemaker or a forklift driver by chance! His adventurous spirit, and affinity for unique flavors are the main inspiration for the wines of Nicora.
