There's an ethereal halo of positivity surrounding Elliott Dolin that immediately sets one at ease. It's clear that this energy has fueled much of his journey through life. He works hard and stays true to himself and, in return, fate has guided him through the successful pursuit of his passions. Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Northern New Jersey, Elliott spent much of his childhood in and around metropolitan Manhattan. Most Saturdays and school vacations found him working at his father's electronics store in Lower Manhattan. By the age of 13, Elliott had developed a passion for the music of The Beach Boys, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and like many of his peers, he dreamed of playing in a band. He picked up the electric bass guitar to round out the lineup in a fledgling local band developing his talent to the point where he was getting hired for paid working gigs. He actively sought out varied and diverse opportunities to hone his skills and develop connections. By In the early 1970's, he played bass for the original Manhattan Transfer prior to their signing with Columbia Records. After a stint with a Jersey Shore band by the name of Lazarus, Elliott was also approached to join the band of then-unknown local musician Bruce Springsteen. Instead, he opted for an opportunity to volunteer to go to Israel for six months. He considers this a fortunate choice because, as he says, I have no regrets. My choices led me here, and there is no other place that I would rather be.
When Elliott returned to the U.S. in 1974, he sought a change of pace from the urban lifestyle of Manhattan. He packed up his red Peugeot and drove to Nashville, which had become the scene and a place to actually make a living playing music. There, Elliott spent several years on tour as the band leader and bassist for Grammy-award winning country music artist Donna Fargo, and he later played with legends like Ray Price and Brenda Lee. His most memorable experience was working as a staff musician for Country Music Hall of Fame producer Jack Clement, playing on recording sessions alongside Nashville's top session players and often getting to jam with legends such as Johnny Cash, John Prine and Don Everly.
Elliott's success as a working musician enabled him to save enough money to invest in two duplexes. His first was bought with the intention of renting out half the property, knowing it would cover much of his mortgage and help to offset the unpredictability of life as a musician. By the time he purchased the second he had caught the real estate bug, a passion that would soon develop into a career. In 1983, he decided to make the move to California, Elliott looked to the future. He attained his real estate license and studied real estate investment analysis at UCLA, transitioning into a career in commercial real estate investment. Shortly after meeting his wife, Lynn, in the early 1990's, a passion for wine developed alongside his other lifelong passion for cars. He fell in with the legendary Sauvage' tasting group in Los Angeles where he tasted many of the great wines of the world. This inspired him to start his collection and to begin studying about wine. At the same time Elliott and Lynn pursued a passion for restoring vintage cars, and displayed their automobiles at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on multiple occasions. Elliott has also participated in numerous road touring events, including Italy's world renowned Mille Miglia. As Elliott describes it, Driving through medieval villages in a caravan of rare and exotic vintage sports cars, with crowds lining the streets and cheering you on, is an experience of a lifetime!
Much like the winding roads of the Mille Miglia, Elliott's life has been unpredictable, characterized by twists and turns, but always guided by purpose and the desire to execute at the highest level. It should be no surprise then that in 2006, while Elliott and Lynn were restoring their recently purchased Malibu home, he recognized the opportunity to indulge his passion for wine and grow Chardonnay vines. The idea to grow grapes came to me, like a light bulb went off in my head, he says. It just made sense. To that end, he sought out the services of local vineyard consultant Bob Tobias, and three years later the maiden vintage of Dolin Estate Chardonnay was born. The idea has always been for us to make the best possible wine from the best possible fruit, Elliott emphasizes.
