What Changes When a Master Sommelier Helps Make the Wine
By Vincent Morrow, MS
The wine world has changed dramatically over the past decade. More producers, more platforms, more voices - which creates incredible opportunity but also makes it harder to find wines with real intention behind them.
That's what drew me to join Allium.
After 15 years as a Master Sommelier, I've tasted across many categories and price points. What I kept coming back to were wines that felt like they had something to say - not just beautiful packaging or clever marketing, but a genuine point of view in the glass.
We built Allium around a few core beliefs:
Seeking elevation matters. High-altitude sites in California offer something special: natural acidity, extended growing seasons, and real structure. While it's not always the easiest path, these vineyards consistently produce wines with more energy and longevity.
Less intervention, more intention. We work with minimal manipulation, native fermentation, and the patience to let each vineyard express itself. It's not about following trends - it's about honoring what the site wants to give us.
Experience across disciplines. Our team brings together winemaking, hospitality, sales, and storytelling experience. Having all those perspectives from day one helps us make better decisions at every stage.
So what does a Master Sommelier actually do if not the make the wine?
My role here goes beyond just tasting the final wines. We started Allium on day one by working through 30+ reference bottles together - defining not just flavors we wanted, but the feel and texture we were aiming for. That blueprint helps our winemaker Matt shape every decision from vineyard to cellar.
I also try to bridge the gap between technical precision and how people actually experience wine. Because honestly, wine shouldn't require a glossary.
Allium isn't trying to reinvent anything. We're simply focused on making thoughtful wines from great sites, with the kind of attention and intention that we'd want to drink ourselves.
In a crowded market, that feels like enough.