Exciting Winemaker Visits And A Parade Of California Favorites

2/20/13 - 

California winemaking today defies the generalizations of yesterday. Ripe, oaky monoliths have made room for a generation of wines that showcase unprecedented grace and structure within the broad, buoyant fruit that makes

California wines unique. The pursuit of interesting and balanced wines from this region yields many surprises: Scholium Project's stern, crunchy Verdelho from the dried mud "anti-terroir" of the Lost Slough Vineyard in the Sacramento River Valley; Arnot-Roberts' rousing and supple Touriga Nacional rose from the Port-centric Luchsinger Vineyard in Lake County; a pair of Semillons, equally exciting yet entirely different; a Petite Sirah for now and one for much, much later...  To bounce between California's myriad grape varieties, elevations, and soils is to absorb its possibilities in pieces. The journey is complex and challenging, yet pales in comparison to the quests of the winemakers who have brought us this far.

Our March in-store tasting schedule features trailblazing winemakers Pax Mahle of Wind Gap (Monday, March 4th) and the team of Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Roberts from Arnot-Roberts (Wednesday, March 6th). These producers were among the first to earn the respect of wine lovers and professionals who seek wines with acid, agility, and that detente between lightness and intensity that makes our favorite bottles both quaffable and compelling. We are happy to say that many more winemakers are working hard to join their rank!

In the spirit of anticipation, we offer a parade of recent arrivals and staff favorites from California. (Some of these wines are quite limited; allocations are listed in item descriptions.) -AR