Building A Community At Alamati Wine
Excerpt by The Wine Write.
They're living the dream.
Niko Comati and Cooper Allebrand are longtime best friends. After Niko got a taste of wine work in Paso Robles in 2016, he persuaded his buddy to join him in the industry. Their goal was to go into business together by launching their own wine brand. Alamati Wine took flight in 2020.
The pals took getting ready seriously. Cooper has worked with skilled winemaker Ernst Storm since 2020. He's now Ernst's assistant winemaker. Niko has experienced wine production in Italy and New Zealand and been mentored by gifted winemakers like Matt Dees and Tyler Thomas in Santa Barbara County. He now serves as Tyler's assistant at Dierberg/Star Lane. The duo have also gleaned some viticultural insights from the legendary Louis Lucas. Connections like those make for glittering resumes.
Prep work done, the friends are now honing the identity of Alamati Wine. Their vision is to assemble a roster of approachable wines that pay tribute to the vineyards where they were grown. The pair are taking advantage of Santa Barbara County's diversity. Their online wine shop now includes an Albariño, a Riesling, a Dolcetto, a Syrah, a Cabernet Franc, and a Nebbiolo. Something for everyone.
Niko and Cooper have other dreams in wine, chief among them to build a community around their brand that celebrates art, food, and music. Enjoy our conversation about this exciting new wine label.