Ultima Tulie is about as small as a winery gets. Cameron Stoffel made his first batch in a storage closet at Herman Story in 2011 and still touches every bottle that goes out the door. The name is an old phrase for the edge of the known world, and the wines, dense Syrah and Petite Sirah, are his way of pushing past limits.

Cameron Stoffel

Cameron Stoffel is the owner and winemaker of Ultima Tulie, a one man, micro production label in Paso Robles. He made his first wine in 2011 in a storage closet at Herman Story Wines, and he has been crafting tiny lots of high quality wine ever since. No bottle of Ultima Tulie is sold without first passing through his hands.

The name comes from an old Nordic and Latin phrase, ultima thule, meaning beyond the borders of the known world. For Stoffel it stands for surpassing perceived or self imposed limits, a fitting motto for a winemaker working at this scale and this level of detail.

Cameron Stoffel made his first wine in a storage closet at Herman Story in 2011, and still touches every bottle himself.

Micro lots, real places

Working in micro lots lets Stoffel obsess over every detail, from the vineyard to the bottle. He focuses on grapes that thrive in Paso Robles, especially Syrah and Petite Sirah, two varieties that love the region warm days and benefit from its dramatic temperature swing, which keeps even powerful reds fresh.

Paso has quietly become one of the best places in the world for both grapes, and a hands on producer like Ultima Tulie can chase the specific sites and lots that show them at their most complex and concentrated.

The wines

The focus is complex, structured Syrah and Petite Sirah, along with other varietals, all made in micro quantities. These are bold, concentrated reds with dark fruit, depth, and the kind of detail that comes from one person tending every step.

Production is tiny, so the wines are personal and limited. The best ways to taste them are by reservation or at Paso Underground, a collaborative tasting room in downtown Paso Robles where Stoffel pours alongside other small makers.

What to pour it with

Syrah and Petite Sirah are built for the grill. Their firm tannins bind to fat and protein, so a fatty grilled ribeye, lamb, or smoked short ribs softens the wine while the meat tastes cleaner. The local tri-tip over red oak is close to ideal, with the char echoing the wine dark, savory fruit.

Petite Sirah in particular is one of the most tannic reds around, so go bold and skip the lean and delicate. Slow cooked, rich, savory dishes, barbecue, braises, and hard aged cheeses, are the move. Keep plenty of salt on the plate and these big wines turn surprisingly smooth.

Ultima Tulie: common questions