Sonja Madgevski

Clementine Carter Wines - Historic Los Alamos, CA

Approaching her work with a lifetime of exquisite flavors, travel, and experiences, Sonja Magdevski is both a journalist by training and a winemaker by drive. These two professions challenge her to craft timeless stories, with each vintage unraveling a new chapter. Her goal is to create vibrant, elegant, and transportive wines bursting with integrity, using three main ingredients: premium Santa Barbara County fruit, dedication, and hard work.

Wine revealed itself to her later in life in 2004 after she helped plant a vineyard in search of new discoveries. A few years prior, she received a Fulbright Scholarship to North Macedonia (her family’s birthplace) in 1998-1999 to study ethnic issues, driven by her pursuit to discover paths toward peace—a belief she still holds. With a commitment to the landscape and the amazing individuals who make wine happen, she now contributes more effectively and joyously, one bottle at a time.

Entering her 20th vintage with the harvest of 2024, she has been welcoming guests to her tasting room in the center of historic Los Alamos, California, since 2011. In 2013, she expanded her endeavors by adding Babi’s Beer Emporium next door, where she curates domestic craft beers and snacks. Babi’s is named after her grandmother, Ilinka, who exemplified love and forgiveness and always welcomed everyone to their table.

As she continues her evolution, her priority is to elevate cool climate Rhône varieties to the distinction they deserve. To demonstrate her dedication to the potential these wines have for impact, she has committed exclusively to sourcing Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation beginning with the 2022 vintage