When Jamie and Kym Slone would travel as tourists to Santa Barbara, they found it hard to find winery experiences that celebrated the city's rich history and Spanish architecture. "Where was the wine tasting room with red-tiled roofs?" Jamie recalled thinking. "I couldn't find it."

"We're not winemakers. We're you. We're consumers." For Jamie Slone, that distinction – that he and his wife are entering the wine arena as avid wine drinkers, first and foremost – may well be the biggest driving force behind Jamie Slone Wines.