Established in 1996 by Tim and Mimi Spear, Clos Mimi is a "très petite" winery located in Santa Maria, California. Clos Mimi is French for "Mimi's enclosed vineyard" expressing Tim's timeless endearment to his children's mother, his wife, his business partner, his best friend and his soul mate. Inspired by the greatest "monocépage" wines of Burgundy, Côte Rotie and Hermitage, Clos Mimi is committed to vineyard designated, one hundred percent Syrah farmed by small family growers in Paso Robles and Santa Ynez. Tim is the "vigneron" for Clos Mimi. Thanks to his traditional convictions from a previous lifetime, Tim is "très religieux" in his pursuit of natural winegrowing. In 1988 Tim had the good fortune of interning alongside a young Jean-Louis Chave in California. Three years later while spending an entire day hiking the steep vineyards of Hermitage in Jean-Louis' royal company and tasting the unblended and highly spiritual 1990 Chave Hermitage from "barrique," Tim was smitten by Syrah.

The label for Clos Mimi symbolizes everlasting love and commitment. The mark itself intimates a spiritual connection with Burgundy. The "fleur de lys" heralds the Spear Family Coat of Arms described as "argent, a thistle with three heads, stalked and leaved vert, flowered gules." The thistle is the symbol of a noble but humble heart whose honor will be defended with the sword. The color argent (white or silver) denotes peace and sincerity. The color black was borrowed from Coco Chanel (not medieval England) known for her timeless design. According to Chinese "feng shui" the color black represents career and water. The color black is believed to be powerful, thus absorbing other colors. In fact, Pierre-Auguste Renoir called black "the Queen of colors" once upon a time in Paris.

In 2001 a "deuxième vin" affectionately called Petite Rousse was introduced. This blended 100% Paso Robles Syrah is born from grapes contracted by the acre exclusively. Winemaking for Petite Rousse is based on Tim's experience working at Château Lynch-Bages and eleven and a half deeply enriching months in Bordeaux. Ten years after living in Bordeaux the tradition of producing a second label "à la" Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux proved to be very influential on Tim. Dedicated "to Margot and merry daughters of centuries past," Petite Rousse draws its romantic inspiration from mid-to-late nineteenth century Paris and the works of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Murger and Giacomo Puccini. Sometime between the World's Fair in 1855 and "La Bohème's" first performance in 1896 Mimi and Tim fell in love in a previous but not insignificant lifetime.

Announcing the 2004 Clos Mimi "The Carlyle Hotel"