Looking for wine producers whose star is on the rise, it is more often the case that they have been making great wine for a while- and are just now generating popular wine recognition:

Leal Vineyards owner Frank Léal (pictured) and winemaker Dave Griffith, two 30-something wine fanatics, set up shop in the foothills of Central Coast’s Hollister in 1998- working around the clock to set up a 45-acre parcel with Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre vines.

Their back-label motto, "good friends, good meals, and good times," pretty-well sums up what this winery is going for. Better still, their wines are an ideal combination of modern winemaking and a healthy respect for place.