West Coast Winemakers for the Win!
9/19/19 -
As the buyer for New World wines at Chambers Street, I am having a wonderful time discovering the talented winemakers of the Americas and beyond. Reading Jon Bonné's The New California has given me a greater appreciation for the work being done on the West Coast to challenge the idea that the only wines to be found there are big, overripe, and overly manipulated. And the number of interesting, complex, and delicious wines are being made by young women is thoroughly inspiring! I am delighted to showcase three of them with these new vintages from the West Coast.
Martha Stoumen, from Mendocino, has an impressive resume studying under winemakers, and perhaps more importantly, vineyard managers from around the globe. Apprenticeships brought her from Tuscany to New Zealand, the south of France to the Mosel in Germany, and of course California, during which she developed a passion for showcasing terroir and a great respect for organic agriculture. These experiences showed her how to utilize the ever-present California sun to her advantage by seeking out sun-loving grapes like Zinfandel, Nero d'Avola, Roussane, and other Mediterranean varieties. Martha farms about half of the vineyards she works with, and the rest are entrusted to conscientious organic farmers who have worked these vineyards for generations. The wines have a huge following and a very limited production so we were only able to snag a few bottles of two of her famous rosés, the Teal Drops, aged for a year on the lees, and the Post Flirtation, a fresher style blended from Zinfandel and Nero d'Avola.
Lauren Brennan Bissel of Inconnu Wines is also a champion of California terroir. Laura grew up as a bit of rebel and an artist, and that seems to have translated nicely into her work in the cellar. Her philosophy of winemaking is as low-intervention as possible, with a true respect for the land by sourcing only from vineyards that are farmed organically, many of them certified. What I love about her wines is that despite her serious winemaking talent, the wines are not overly serious. Her Lalalu line is meant to be drunk young and fresh, often with a bit of a chill, and enjoyed as a vin de soif. Her Cabernet Franc, which is perfect as a chillable summer red, will be equally delicious this fall with heavier proteins and chunkier sweaters.
Further up the Coast is the inimitable Kelley Fox! Kelley founded her namesake winery in Oregon in 2007 after working for the renowned Eyrie Vineyards, and as the winemaker for Scott Paul Wright, which helped shaped her dedication to making high-quality Pinot Noir. Kelley’s wines make this evident, and her fascinating bio underscores the devotion and intense attention she brings to farming and to wine making.. Much like Martha and Laura, her goal is to showcase the grapes in their purest form by forgoing chemicals, additives, and importantly for Kelley, new oak, and with each vintage using more and more whole clusters in her fermentations. These Pinots are made with an Old World sensibility and will certainly benefit from aging, but I'm definitely planning to open one of these at Thanksgiving dinner this year. Michelle DeWyngaert
