shedista

noun

1. A low-budget independent winemaker.

   “If I have any complaint, it is that some of the pieces are too short. The interesting and informative article about the so-called shedistas — low-budget wineries that have sprouted up in and around Santa Barbara that are now turning out some of California’s most exciting wines — would have been even better with a few more pages.”

   “From South Africa’s stunningly beautiful winelands to “shedistas” making wine in California industrial parks, from ubiquitous California chardonnay to the obscure Sagrantino di Montefalco, he gives us straightforward but nicely written descriptions of how wine tastes and what it goes with.”

   “The typical Santa Barbara shedista narrative goes like this: you start working in the cellar of a bigger winery and learn the ropes: the region, the vinyards, and the growers. Eventually you borrow from relatives and max out your credit cards to rent a shed, buy a few tanks and a few tons of Syrah, design a label, and make your own wine. You share equipment and wine notes with friends. And you keep your day job in the meantime.”