Introducing Two Shepherds!
11/13/20 -
Working at Chambers Street Wines has given me such an appreciation for farmers; people who devote their lives to the land and have an ability to really listen to it. The greatest wines are a direct translation of their environment. It was such a pleasure getting to meet with (virtually of course) the winemaker of Two Shepherds, William Allen, and to see his adorable donkeys and farm animals happily living together amongst the vines. As any winemaker in California (and much of the United States) will tell you, it can be nearly impossible to own your own vineyards outright, so like many others, William leases several small plots, and in 2018 planted the first vines of Grenache at the Two Shepherds estate vineyard. With each plot, William works closely with the growers to ensure they are farmed with care, organically (with one sustainable exception), with exacting specifications for leaf-pulling, irrigation (as little as possible), and of course harvesting. William has been inspired by, and befriended some of Chamber's Street's favorite California winemakers like Alex Porter of Porter Creek and Steven Matthiasson. Just by drinking their wines one could guess that they would be kindred spirits. What connects them all is a sense of balance and finesse, embracing the California sun without letting it overpower.
After several years of making small batches of wine, mostly for himself and friends, William decided to take the leap into the commercial world, starting Two Shepherds in 2010. It was a one man show until 2015, the year he was joined by partner Karen Daenen. By 2017, the pair had a business large enough to require a cellar master. Together they have focused on Rhone varieties and lesser-known grapes that they find are best suited to the California climate. William insists it helps his wines stand out in a sea of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet, though I believe he would make excellent versions of those too. As climate change continues to alter the landscape and temperatures around them, what once seemed like a strange decision to take on plots of Grenache Blanc or Picpoul Blanc have proven to be wise investments for their sun-loving heartiness.
In the cellar they are decidedly low intervention, but not at all dogmatic. True to the name of their operation, they aim to guide or "shepherd" along their grapes into wine without chemical manipulation or overpowering new oak flavors, favoring older and neutral barrels for fermentation and aging. They believe that too much sulfur is a detriment, but used sparingly maintains the quality and consistency of their wines. They eschew aggressive fining and filtering, but will rack or lightly filter on occasion as they see fit. Perhaps what I love most about this small operation is that they only believe in releasing a wine that is ready to drink, which is not to say that many of the wines won't continue to age beautifully. They are not released on a set schedule immediately after bottling, but when they are showing well.
Today we are featuring three of their wines that I found the most compelling, and I believe give a great sense of their classic, restrained, "old-world" (if you must use that term) style. The Grenache Blanc is a perfect example of this; ripe, luscious, with a vein of acidity reigning it in and touch of bitterness on the finish. The Trousseau Gris distinguishes itself amongst trendy orange wines. The use of extended skin-contact feels deliberate, used to coax out the delicate flavors of this grape, give it a gorgeous copper color in the glass, and just the slightest grip of tannin; more on the Italian ramato side of the orange wine world. Finally, the Carignan from the Trimble Vineyard, which they share with Porter Creek, does great justice to these old vines, bringing bright red fruits, concentrated flavor and just the beginning signs of development letting me know this bottle still has years of life ahead of it.
-Michelle DeWyngaert
