What’s New on the West Coast?
Off to California and Oregon to check out some fresh new wines from exciting new producers!
With the exception of one Pinot Blanc from Oregon for our Pinot-themed club in August, we’ve been exclusively out of the country for four months. In November we make a triumphant return to America with an exploration of young west-coast producers making wines that explore and push the boundaries of what we classically see from regions that produce a huge amount of the wine sold in America.
These producers vary widely in their paths to winemaking: we have a Stanford grad who taught himself to make wine; a world-class sommelier who pivoted into natural winemaking; a restaurant general manager struck with inspiration during a tasting flight; and a UC Davis oenology grad who worked her way up through the vineyards of California and Oregon. What they all have in common is an interest in forging their own unique path in places overrun with homogenous winemaking techniques and grapes. For some, the classics are where it’s at (who doesn’t love a pitch-perfect Willamette Valley Pinot Noir?), but there’s always room for more styles, more flavors, more perspectives on what wine can be. To widen that lens is to bring more people into wine who may otherwise avoid it.
So, pop these bottles, enjoy them, and hopefully share them with other folks looking to have a unique, fulfilling imbibing experience!
Where's Linus?
Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Producer Profile
Winemaker Chris Christenson is a self-taught winemaker working out of Healdsburg, California where he sources organic grapes from a handful of sustainably farmed plots throughout Northern California. His philosophy on winemaking is to allow each vintage to forge its own path, leading to a distinct wine year after year. No oak use, no additives, all spontaneous fermentation.
Tasting Notes
On the nose, ripe lemon - almost lemon cake, with some green notes as well. Mouthwatering salinity on first sip followed by more lemon and typical sauvignon blanc grassiness. Pleasant acidity and decent body for not seeing any oak.
Pairing Suggestions
Seasonal salad featuring pomegranates or apples. Pretty flexible wine that would be great with seafood or light chicken dishes as well.
| The region: Lake County, California |
The style: Organic, Biodynamic |
The grapes: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay |
Teutonic Wine Company
Muscat 2022
Producer Profile
Teutonic is the classic story of a guy from Portland named Barnaby who has an epiphany that he needs to start making wine after a tasting of 14 different Mosel rieslings. Classic story, right? At the very least it’s a story with a happy ending. Barnaby and his wife, Olga, did indeed start making wine and were one of the first west coast wineries exploring grapes, styles, and processes outside the norm some 18 years ago. Today Teutonic is a benchmark in unique, sustainable wines in the Willamette Valley and this Muscat is no exception.
Tasting Notes
Big smells on this one. Green apple, honey, aggressive floralilty, tropical fruits, and guava. Most of those notes are backed up on the palate with the florality and tropical fruit becoming more distinct. Very unique, fun profile on this wine.
Pairing Suggestions
Great wine for funky cheeses, but we want to highlight a producer suggestion - what they call ‘Wineer’, a 50/50 mix of Muscat and Pabst Blue Ribbon. What could go wrong?
| The region: Willamette Valley, Oregon |
The style: Organic |
The grapes: Muscat |
Monte Rio Cellars
Carbonic Zinfandel 2022
Producer Profile
Owned and operated by Patrick Capiello, an award-winning sommelier who, after 30 years in the industry, decided to make the move to winemaker in 2018. Patrick focuses on using classic California varietals to make minimal intervention natural wines that offer a sharp contrast to the big, high alcohol wines traditionally coming out of Northern California.
Tasting Notes
Spicy and vibrant red fruit on the nose. On first sip, bright cherry with zippy acidity, oregano, bay leaf, and a pleasant hint of watermelon on the finish. Medium body with high acid and low tannin.
Pairing Suggestions
Red-sauce pizza. Go extra cheese and spice it up a little, the acidity will play well with both choices.
| The region: Lodi, California |
The style: Organic, Natural |
The grapes: Zinfandel |
Margins
Millefiori 2022
Producer Profile
Margins is the project of winemaker Megan Bell. She works in the Santa Cruz mountains using grapes coming from the ‘margins’ of common wine knowledge (here, she works with one of the only plantings of Negrette in California). Be they lesser-known varietals or common grapes from uncommon locations, she embraces small growers who have a passion for growing excellent fruit via clean, organic methods. All wine is unfiltered with minimal-to-no intervention.
Tasting Notes
Rich aromas of blueberry compote, blackberry jam, leather, mint, and grape Big League Chew (oh yeah). Brighter on the palate, with cherry/strawberry up front and the darker fruits coming through in the (long) finish.
Pairing Suggestions
You probably don’t want to pair wine with Big League Chew. Instead try an umami-forward stew… it is mushroom season after all.
| The region: San Benito County, California |
The style: Organic, Biodynamic |
The grapes: Barbera, Negrette |