Though established in 1983, the AVA’s boundaries were redrawn in 2013 as other adjacent AVAs were established: The Upper Mississippi Valley AVA (established in 2009) ultimately replaced the Ohio River Valley as the largest AVA in the U.S., making it the second largest.

You May Also Like: The Surprising Location of America’s First AVA

Its vast size makes for a great diversity of soils and unique mix of climates, from humid subtropical influences to cooler continental areas, allowing for a wide range of grapes to be grown within its borders. Both hybrids and common vinifera varieties are grown: Prominent hybrid varieties include Marechal Foch, Baco Noir, Seyval Blanc and Vidal; vinifera that thrive well include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Riesling. Wines are produced in a range of styles, and the region is particularly known for high quality late harvest and ice wines.

Mark Zdobinski is one of the owners, as well as the winemaker and production manager, at Olde Schoolhouse Vineyard & Winery in Eaton, Ohio, which produces a staggering 35 different wines, utilizing grapes from its estate vineyard as well as fruit purchased from both the East and West Coasts. He champions the diversity on offer for his customers. Sweet wines are very popular, he says; however, Zdobinski also produces 13 dry wines and a number of semisweet expressions. His portfolio also includes contrasting Cabernet Francs—one made with Washington State fruit and one with Ohio fruit, so customers can experience the difference in terroir in side-by-side tastings.

Donna Clark, co-owner of Old Mason Winery & Vineyard Inc., in West Milton, Ohio, echoes this focus on diversity. “We have approximately nine acres of vineyard planted,” Clark says. “We try to produce wine that will please all palates.” Old Mason’s vineyards are planted with cold-hardy grape varieties, including La Crescent, Marquette, Frontenac, Frontenac Gris, Cayuga and Petite Pearl.

You May Also Like: Ambulo Blanc Is a Hybrid Grape with Disease-Fighting Superpowers

The Ohio River Valley is not without its viticultural challenges. The spotted lantern fly has come to the region from Pennsylvania. The invasive pest is known for devastating vineyards by spreading vine maladies such as Pierce’s Disease. Furthermore, many vineyards are adjacent to large, conventionally farmed agricultural businesses (often for corn or beans), and chemical overspray can be an issue. The state’s Department of Agriculture, as well as various industry organizations, have struggled to come up with possible solutions.

Despite these challenges, this is a wine region that is growing. Clark and her team have plans to expand the Old Mason vineyard, and there are many pending new wineries. Zdobinski emphasizes the local industry’s commitment to enhancing the region’s reputation, commenting, “I want to put a new benchmark in Ohio [and] show people that Ohio can make good wine. We stand for quality here.”

Quick Facts

• Date AVA Established: September 7, 1983; further amended in 1987 and 2013
• Total Size: 24,900 square miles (15.9 million acres)
• Most Planted Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, Vidal, Zinfandel
• Climate: Warm, humid-subtropical in southern regions; cool continental in northern regions
• Number of Wineries: 13
• Fun Fact: The Ohio River Valley AVA is often considered the birthplace of American viticulture, with Nicholas Longworth planting grapes in the early 1800s

This article originally appeared in the June/July 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

From the Shop

Find Your Wine a Home

Our selection of white wine glasses is the best way to enjoy the wine’s subtle aromas and bright flavors.

Shop All Wine Glasses

The post Inside the Ohio River Valley AVA, One of America’s Oldest Growing Regions appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

“How often do you get to see wine regions and the whole economic engine of an industry happen right before your very eyes?” asks T. Scott Stephens, a sommelier and co-owner of Beckett’s Table, in Phoenix. He’s served fine wine for his whole career, but only became wise to Arizona wine a little over a decade ago after drinking wines from Sand Reckoner Vineyards made by co-owners Rob Hammelman and Sarah Fox.  

“If this quality of wine is being made by this lovely couple, who else is doing it?” thought Stephens, who now sells a significant share of Arizona wine. “It created this journey that continues to today.” 

Arizona’s accelerated evolution is due to a unique combination of factors. There’s the rockstar attention brought by Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan, who started his Arizona brand Caduceus nearly 20 years ago. Then came the rise of an educational backbone at Yavapai College’s Southwest Wine Center, which is pumping out expertly trained winemakers every year.  

Underlying the entire Arizona wine culture, too, is a proud spirit of experimentation. It continues to empower winemakers to explore—and rather quickly determine—which grapes are truly suited to the state’s stark landscapes. 

“We have an opportunity to tell a new story,” says Pavle Milic, who opened Scottsdale’s FnB Restaurant nearly 15 years ago and more recently launched Los Milics Vineyards. “What’s liberating is that we don’t have to follow any trends or any rules.”   

The state is broken up into three American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), and these appellations also serve as the primary places to taste wine in Arizona. The historic heart of Arizona wine is just south of Tucson in the Sonoita AVA, which sits at nearly 5,000 feet in elevation and is between four mountain ranges.  

Over an hour to the northeast is the Willcox AVA, where most of Arizona’s grapes grow on a high plain at about 4,000 feet. Then a two-hour drive north of Phoenix is the Verde Valley, where more than two dozen tasting rooms continue to toast the AVA’s 2021 approval.   

What follows are suggestions on which tasting rooms and estate wineries to visit in each of these regions. You can’t go wrong with any of them since they all offer uniquely personal service.  

“You still experience the human side of winemaking in Arizona,” says Milic. “You actually get the chance to meet the people involved in the craft, not just people working in the tasting room. Arizona is still young enough that that experience is still possible.” 

Sonoita

Sonoita is the historic heart of Arizona wine. Soil expert Gordon Dutt, who came to Arizona from U.C. Davis in the 1970s, encouraged the state’s first commercial vineyards to be planted on the region’s windswept grasslands.  

In 1984, Sonoita became one of the earliest approved AVAs in the United States—just three years after Napa Valley, which was the first. With elevations around 5,000 feet, it’s one of the higher appellations in the country, framed by the peaks of the Santa Rita, Huachuca and Whetstone mountains. 

Callaghan Vineyards 

Kent Callaghan is considered the pioneer of modern Arizona winemaking, having first planted vines with his parents near the town of Elgin in 1990. Callaghan Vineyards has since been served in the White House four separate times.  

“Though not classically trained, this gentleman has been making wines through trial and error and now has over 30 vintages under his belt,” says FnB Restaurant’s Pavle Milic. “No one has a better perspective on the lay of the land of Arizona wine.” 

Milic loves the white blend called Lisa’s, which usually includes Marsanne, Roussanne and Malvasia Bianca. “It’s an aromatic empress,” says Milic. “Every time I smell this wine, it reminds me of Arizona.”

For a red, try a bottle of Waverley’s, a blend of Grenache and Petit Manseng, a white grape. “He uses Petit Manseng in the same way we would add a little salt and lemon to soup, to give it a little lift,” says Milic. “It amplifies the mouthfeel.” 

Rune Wines 

This off-the-grid winery is the work of Arizona native James Callahan, who made wine in Washington State, New Zealand and California before returning home in 2012 to launch Rune Wines the following year.  

“This is one of our favorite places to visit,” says Emily Rieve and Lindsey Schoenemann, who own GenuWine Arizona, a wine bar and bottle shop in Phoenix. “The atmosphere is breathtaking, especially with the tasting room overlooking the vineyards. What makes it especially memorable is the owner/winemaker James and his wife, Anna—they are the heart and soul of Rune. The wines are exceptional and if you're lucky, James will take one out of his library to pour.” 

Stephens is also a fan. “It’s among the rewarding sunset views of Sonoita’s undulating vineyards and whispering tall grasses,” he says. “James Callahan’s use of wild yeast fermentation is reflective of taking only what nature gives and letting it blossom in the bottle.” 

Dos Cabezas WineWorks 

Both Stephens and Milic give much credit to Todd and Kelly Bostock of Dos Cabezas for pushing the state’s wine forward. “They have been the driving force of what Arizona wine could be,” says Stephens. 

Milic recommends two sparkling wines—one in a can, the other made in a solera-style—as well as the El Campo Red. “El Campo is a field blend of everything that they planted in the Pronghorn Vineyard, all picked together at the same time,” says Milic, who’s poured the wine at FnB for many years. “It’s special because it reflects this little chunk of land.” 

Plus, there are good eats. “Todd and Kelly imported a wood-burning oven from Italy, so they make badass pizza,” says Milic, adding that they often showcase appetizers made with indigenous ingredients, like tepary bean hummus. “They’re mindful of provenance.” 

Los Milics 

Milic was working the floor of his FnB Restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale when guests asked him to describe his winemaking dream. Then they offered to help fund such a project. So, at the end of 2018, Milic moved to the Sonoita area and began building Los Milics Vineyards. 

Serving 14 wines from 17 different grapes grown on 70 acres of estate vineyards, the tasting room is set amidst what Milic calls a “cavalcade of monoliths” that rise from the desert floor. Nine one-bedroom casitas just opened as an overnight option, and there’s a small restaurant on the way as well.  

“This jewel of southern Arizona encompasses amazing architectural design bound with a passionate respect to nature,” says Stephens. “The vast viewing window looking outside of the tasting room reveals the Mustang Mountains. At every corner, with a glass of Arizona in hand, visitors may feel a calming sense to simply exhale.” 

Queen of Cups 

More winemakers are heading closer to the Mexican border to expand the Sonoita terroir. Among them are Lily Christopher and Emmett Rahn-Oakes, the young couple behind Queen of Cups. Their low-intervention wines are made with grapes including Picpoul Blanc, Barbera, Viognier, Malbec and more. 

“Emmett and Lily are part of the new wave of generational wine makers staking their claim in southern Arizona,” says Stephens. “An easy 20-minute drive from Sonoita lands you in the quaint hamlet of Patagonia, where their convivial respite showcases wines of restraint, balance and minimal intervention.” 

Verde Valley

Even though less than 200 acres of grapes are grown in the appellation, the Verde Valley is jam-packed with tasting rooms in the small towns of Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Jerome and Cornville. That’s due to its proximity to Phoenix, which is about a 90-minute drive away.  

“This area is booming because it’s a quicker and cooler wine getaway for the millions of people in that exploding city,” comment Jeanne and Pete Snell, who own Tucson’s Arizona Wine Collective in Tucson, which has become known as a chamber of commerce for the state’s wines.  

“We have watched it change and, especially, grow over the last seven years. In addition to having had more than 40 wineries featured in our place over the years, we are privy to what the consumers are saying about and being drawn to these days.”   

Caduceus Winery & Merkin Vineyards  

You can’t talk Arizona wine without giving credit to Maynard James Keenan, who achieved fame and fortune as the frontman to the rock bands Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer before founding his winery 20 years ago.  

First based in Jerome—which is still home to a tasting room—his Caduceus Winery and Merkin Vineyards grew into multiple brands and tasting rooms as well as five small Verde Valley vineyards and one big one in the Willcox AVA.  

“He’s done so much taking his bravado and stardom and using it as an absolute facilitator for Arizona wine,” says T. Scott Stephens. “He’s just as giving and sharing as the next guy.” 

Most significantly, Keenan recently opened a brand new, hilltop facility on the former site of the Masonic Lodges in downtown Cottonwood. “It’s an amazing accomplishment and now a must-see destination for food and wine lovers to experience his nod to his Italian heritage,” says Stephens. “The panoramic view via the hilltop tram with a gelato in hand is unforgettable.” 

Southwest Wine Center Tasting Room 

With a 13-acre vineyard and a teaching winery with an emphasis on sustainability, Yavapai College’s Southwest Wine Center, in Clarkdale, offers a two-year degree in enology and viticulture. “They’re churning out winemakers,” says Stephens. 

It’s an interesting place to explore the cutting edge of Arizona wine. “You can taste the efforts of the students,” says Milic. “It gives people the opportunity to see the academic side of it.” 

Chateau Tumbleweed 

Founded in 2011 by two couples who were already working in the Arizona wine industry, Chateau Tumbleweed sources from at least a dozen vineyards across the state each vintage to produce a range of blends and single-vineyard, single-variety wines.  

“They are down-to-earth, great people,” says Rieve from GenuWine Arizona, whose inventory and menu reflects that state’s entire wine culture. “What makes Arizona wines so special are the people behind the wines. The owners and winemakers are so involved every step of the way and are usually running the tasting rooms as well. It just feels like family and we love supporting Arizona wines.” 

She likes Tumbleweed’s Mourvèdre. “The labels are fun and the tasting room feels like you're home,” says Rieve. “It's so welcoming.”  

Milic appreciates how the Tumbleweed team makes wine easy to like for all types of people. “They drop the whole cloak of pedantic vernacular when it comes to tasting,” he said. “They’re approachable. They make it fun. They are people who don’t take themselves that seriously and guests respond to that. They also happen to make delicious wine.” 

Page Springs Cellars 

Ever since planting his first creekside vineyard in 2004 north of Cornville, Eric Glomski made stewardship of the surrounding environment a key component of the mission for Page Springs Cellars, which partners with Friends of the Verde River, among other nonprofits. A visit can simply focus on tasting wine and enjoying food from the on-site bistro, or guests could take a tour of the cellar, the estate, or the nearby House Mountain Vineyard. 

“Eric has carved an indelible path along Oak Creek,” said Stephens. “His wines are nurtured and crafted by hand, expressing a sense of place. You can experience multiple wine tastings inside, or take the adventure outside with a picnic, or nestle up to the deck with the perpetual flow of rippling water below.” 

Willcox 

In 2016, the Willcox AVA became the state’s second appellation, a well-deserved recognition since the region grows about 75% of Arizona’s wine grapes, including much of what’s being poured in Sonoita and Verde Valley. As the Snells of Arizona Wine Collective explained, “Folks are drinking Willcox wine no matter where they taste Arizona wine.” 

The flat, desolate landscape sprawls across a farming area known as the Kansas Settlement. The tasting rooms range from casual estate experiences that are spread out across the landscape to more urbane offerings often found in the small town of Willcox.  

Golden Rule Vineyards 

The Snells recommend Golden Rule Vineyards, which just opened a new tasting room in “a cool historical building in the town of Willcox,” they point out. The winery, which grows 11 varieties on 26 acres at its estate vineyard, is now in what was originally the Chevrolet building, a landmark built in 1946.  

Those wishing to see the vines can schedule an appointment to taste at the estate, which is on the northern end of the Dragoon Mountains. “They also grow some of the best pistachios you’ll ever have,” the Snells say. 

Rhumb Line Vineyard 

As someone who’s walked vineyards all around the world, T. Scott Stephens is always impressed by the meticulous care he witnessed at Rhumb Line, which owners Todd Myers and Michelle Minta named after a nautical term.  

“It’s like you could eat off the floor,” says Stephens, of the property, which also grows olives and lavender. Though Rhumb Line sells all of its fruit, the property offers lodging in Quonset huts and farm-fresh cuisine at the recently opened Olive’s Vineyard Cafe, making it an ideal home base for exploring the nearby tasting rooms of Pillsbury Wine Company & Vineyard and Bodega Pierce.   

Four Tails Vineyards & 1764 Vineyards 

A little further south, but still in the Willcox AVA, is a growing area around the town of Pearce. “The drive out there provides an excellent view of this region on the edge of the Chiricahua National Monument,” says Jeanne Snell, who recommends hiking there.  

“We are getting some outstanding wines from this area from Four Tails Vineyards and 1764 Vineyards,” she says. “Neither have official tasting rooms but host customers by appointment.” 

More Southwest Wine Coverage: 

• Rock Star Maynard James Keenan's latest splashy project aims to amplify Arizona wine. 
• The Southwest is one of the United States’s unsung wine regions. Get to know the landscape in “Exploring the Diverse, Terroir-Driven Wines of the American Southwest.” 
• Texas has one of the fastest-growing wine scenes around. Our editors rounded up the best wineries in Texas to visit. 
• Six new AVAs are on the horizon for Texas, suggesting the possibility of more definition and visibility that, for many Texas winemakers, feels overdue. 
• The Camp Verde Pecan and Wine Festival, which takes place an hour outside of Phoenix, is a food festival that deserves attention from wine lovers. 
  

The post Arizona’s Wine Scene Is Booming—These Are the Tasting Rooms to Visit appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Heads across the globe turned. Two Oregon wineries sat up and acted.

On January 18, Sokol Blosser Winery in Dundee released its 2023 Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir with a label that lists ingredients and the nutrition facts for a five-ounce serving, including calorie, carbohydrate, fat and protein amounts. In the future, Sokol Blosser plans to offer this information for all its wines.

Two weeks later, Troon Vineyard in Grants Pass announced it was adding QR codes to the ingredient labels it launched in 2023. The codes direct consumers to the winery’s website to receive information on ingredients, nutritional information and wine packaging, including bottle weight.

Part of the wineries’ motivation to act, they say, was a belief that the United States would soon follow the E.U.’s lead, and that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) would eventually require ingredient and nutritional labeling in some form. For Sokol Blosser, it was also a matter of ensuring that the wines they exported to Europe complied with E.U. law.

Craig Camp, Troon’s general manager, thinks that while it is inevitable the TTB will follow Europe’s lead, he does expect pushback from the larger producers. He believes large industrial producers fear consumers will react negatively to the additives they use.

“Ninety percent of the wines in the marketplace are made that way,” Camp says. “I think people will be particularly surprised by how much sugar is involved.”

But Troon and Sokol Blosser are eager to keep up with consumer and trade partners’ desire for ingredient and nutritional information access. “We’re a small niche winery working with niche varietals,” Camp continues. “People who buy our wines want to know this information, and we want them to have it.”

For Sokol Blosser president Alex Sokol Blosser, it was also a matter of capturing the attention of a particular market segment. “Millennials and Gen Z-ers want this information, and they could care less about descriptions on the label like ‘this wine smells like black roses that have been kissed by butterflies,’” he says.

Sokol Blosser and Troon are momentarily ahead of the curve. Does their positioning offer a competitive advantage? “I want to think it will be good for sales because consumers want this information, and we want to show them that we are an open book,” says Robin Howell, Sokol Blosser’s head winemaker.

Howell adds that she looks forward to consumers being able to compare her wines to brands stressing lower calories, such as Skinnygirl Wines. A Skinnygirl wine typically registers 100 calories per five-ounce serving, compared with Sokol Blosser’s rosé, which has 117 calories, or Troon’s Roussanne, which has 102 calories.

Sokol Blosser also notes one big surprise: the positive reaction from winery team members who are diabetics. “There are a lot of people in this country who have diabetes, and I never stopped to think about how important being able to track carbs in their wine would be for them,” Sokol Blosser says.

Of course, placing nutritional information on the labels isn’t new. Oregon wineries like Brick House Wines, Omero Cellars and Art + Science already blazed this trail. But action from Sokol Blosser and Troop suggest it won’t take long until other Oregon wineries follow suit—and with them, potentially, wineries nationwide. At the annual Willamette Valley Wineries Association in February, approximately half of the attendees raised their hands when asked if they were planning to add ingredient and/or nutritional information to their labels.

“I think this type of labeling will become more typical, and not just with the biodynamic and regenerative wineries,” Camp says. “I think Oregon, as always, will lead the way in this category.”

However, questions linger about any future mandatory TTB labeling regulations. “What is considered an ingredient?” Sokol Blosser wonders. “That is the biggest concern of wineries.”

Howell hopes that the TTB requires wineries to list only what makes it into the wine and not processing aids, which she says is how the E.U. handles ingredients. For example, Sokol Blosser used bentonite as a fining agent for their rosé. Since it’s racked off and a consumer doesn’t ingest it, bentonite doesn't appear on the wine's label.

Another concern? The cost of nutritional testing at a laboratory, which Sokol Blosser says costs $400 for each vintage of wine. Jay Somers of J.C. Somers Vintner believes that even one more cost to production could be challenging. “Our margins shrink every year,” Somers says. “Even with paying one employee a ridiculously low salary, as a small producer, we at best break even.”

That $400 test may not be necessary for every wine, admits Howell, who already tests for alcohol level, sugar levels and titratable acidity. Using a standardized glycerin number, Howell says she can calculate the nutritional numbers for future labels. But for his part, Sokol Blosser describes his winery’s overall labeling costs as “minimal.”

Whatever the TTB decides to do, Sokol Blosser says, “We and other wineries want the TTB and the E.U. to be on the same page.”

Our Labeling Coverage

• In "The E.U. Is Adding Nutrition Info to Wine Labels. Is the U.S. Next?" Writer-at-Large Aleks Zecevic digs deep into the details of the mandate and how it could impact U.S. producers.
• Organic wines from the E.U. may no longer be labeled as such in America because of new U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations. Reporter Kate Dingwall explains why.
• "What Makes a Good Wine Label?" asks Paul Gregutt. In this piece, he shares the three key elements.
• Labeling terms can often be confusing and misleading. Gregutt explores which words have meaning, which ones don't and what consumers should pay attention to.

From the Shop

Find Your Wine a Home

Our selection of white wine glasses is the best way to enjoy the wine’s subtle aromas and bright flavors.

Shop All Wine Glasses

The post As Oregon Wineries Add Ingredient and Nutrition Info to Labels, Will More Follow? appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

We didn’t know that during the summer morning of 2012, when he helped me tend to our Syrah vines in the Sta. Rita Hills under unseasonably warm, sunny skies. We didn’t know that in the fall, when my dad harvested his own grapes of Merlot and Syrah at my childhood home in the hilly suburbs of East San Jose, where I’d convinced him to plant the otherwise useless backyard slope in vines.

And we didn’t know that as the calendar approached winter, when my own son—then just on the verge of turning three years old—hopped into our bin at Ampelos Cellars in Lompoc to foot-stomp my first harvest, adding a third generation of Kettmanns to the bottling.

But come May 26, 2013, just two weeks after my parents took us all to Disneyland, my dad was gone, having succumbed at just 63 years of age to a typically treatable leukemia that he’d been secretly fighting for a decade. His silence—and my mom’s—around the disease was because the doctors said he should live well into his 70s. Given that kind of prognosis, he didn’t want others to worry about him, to ask him incessantly how he was doing, to change their lives because of him.

No one expected the cancer to turn so suddenly for the worse. What I also didn’t expect was how his absence would lead me to search, albeit in subtle, even subconscious ways, for new father figures in my life. Men who could continue to lead me along my own path into middle age and parenthood.

Thankfully, me and my dad’s relationship was always tight. My mom’s ascension from-receptionist-to-top-floor in Silicon Valley enabled him to mostly retire for the better part of two decades, not having to return to the tech lab grind of his first career when his struggling golf shop closed.

He was the one who drove my brother and I to school nearly every day until friends turned 16, enduring our endless cassette loops of A Tribe Called Quest’s Low End Theory (which he tolerated more than The Pharcyde and Snoop Dogg).

We were lucky enough to take family vacations abroad every few years. When I was 14, I watched him try to grab his first Guinness pour in Ireland way before it had time to properly settle. A few years later, we hunted for the best gazpacho in Portugal together. We frequently crammed our family of four (and sometimes more) into a tiny seaside studio near Santa Cruz, and golfed together a lot, including on some of the world’s most iconic holes.

When I graduated college, I sought a more grown-up connection. So, I bought him a homebrewing kit, just like the one he’d helped me get when I was 21.

Then I learned, mostly through my mom, that he really didn’t drink that much beer anymore. And certainly not the high potency, occasionally funky stuff that comes out of homebrew kits. (As a mid-forty-something myself now, I no longer drink much of that kind of beer, either.) Instead, as my work as a journalist in Santa Barbara dove deeper and deeper into wine, we connected over that, hence the vines he planted in the backyard.

I’m still a journalist, and never intended to be a winemaker. But I figured that the best way to learn about my preferred topic of writing was to make some myself.

That led me and my good friend Giuseppe Bonfiglio to a partnership with Peter Work, the cheerful, professorial vintner behind Ampelos Cellars who owns a beautiful vineyard in the heart of the Sta. Rita Hills.

Even before my dad passed, I saw Work as a father figure of sorts, holding my hand through the various stages of a biodynamic vineyard’s year, and then opening my eyes to the ways of a cellar. We eventually made more than a half-dozen wines together, including a few, like our 2018 Carignan, that changed his own outlook on wine and opened his eyes to a new varietal for his brand.

After my dad died, more fathers emerged. There were my many uncles—one of whom delivered a ton of under-ripe Cabernet Sauvignon from Lake County to me that next vintage, a hilarious tale all its own.

But many came straight from the world of wine.

There’s my Wine Enthusiast assistant, Chris Coffman, the retired father of my good friend, who helped me erect a stone bench in my backyard where I laid my dad’s ashes, and who helps me process hundreds of reviews every month.

There’s the photographer Macduff Everton, who pushed me to do a book with him, providing sage guidance the whole way toward publishing Vines & Vision: The Winemakers of Santa Barbara County.

And then there’s the legendary Richard Sanford, the man who proved Pinot Noir could work in Santa Barbara County in the 1970s. My dad died a few days after an anniversary tasting was held at the old Sanford & Benedict barn, and Sanford was the first to emphasize to me how life-changing it is to lose a parent.

He was also the first to congratulate me when I was hired by Wine Enthusiast in 2014, and later even “knighted” me with a few of his favorite bow ties. To this day, he reminds me of my unique responsibility as an official scribe for this industry, for this region and for this era.

I was blessed enough to have a fantastic dad from birth. But it’s been rewarding to appreciate how my life, through wine, has been enriched by so many others, friends and mentors who serve as fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters. I’m not sure if that happens so much in other industries. Maybe it does.

As to the actual wines of 2012? A bit of a mixed bag. I hand-bottled the inaugural vintage of Merlot and Syrah that my dad harvested from our San Jose backyard, after he’d put in it carboys and served the blend at his memorial. The wine was horrible, and we all had a good laugh.

But our Sta. Rita Hills Syrah from the Ampelos Vineyard was magical, mixing cooler-climate qualities of pepper and bloody game with riper, rich black fruits from a generously warmer vintage. It really tastes of life and death at once.

I called my brand Periodista, which means “journalist” in Spanish (another different, hilarious tale), and labeled the Syrah as the “Big D,” which was my dad’s nickname. In smaller type, it says “Touched by Three Generations — A Toast to Dennis Kettmann 1949-2013.”

It’s the best wine we ever made, something that my extended family relies on to remember my dad. It’s also the vintage that marked the end of one relationship, and the start of many more.

More Stories About Dads and Wine

• In “Father Knows Best: Advice on Life, Love and Wine,” writer Daniela Serrano explores the best dating advice she received from her father through the lens of wine suggestions.
• Writer Ted Simmons explores his relationship with his father in the aftermath of Jimmy Buffet’s death in “Long Live Margaritaville: The Undying Emotional Appeal of Jimmy Buffett.”
• To celebrate the drinks-loving man in your life, take a look at this hand-picked gift guide.

in the shop

Dial-a-Recipe Cocktail Shaker and Bar Tools Set

In Stock | $19.99

Shop Now

The post My First Vintage Was My Dad’s Last appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

“Really, it’s almost magical,” Capo continues. “It can be grown in warm inland valleys, or on cool and windy coastal hillsides. Winemakers can block the malolactic fermentation to keep the acids brighter or stir the lees to develop creaminess. Oak, stainless, concrete egg—there are just so many options.”

On the whole, California Chard offers an “enticing balance of mouthwatering freshness with abundant flavor,” adds Writer-at-Large Elaine Chukan Brown, who reviews wines from Napa. “The combination can be so satisfying, and I’m excited to see it becoming more and more common in these wines.”

But despite Chardonnay’s ascendance in California, there are still under-the-radar bottlings to be found. “The Santa Cruz Mountains remain somewhat of a Chardonnay gem hiding in plain sight, surrounded by the millions of people in Silicon Valley and the greater Bay Area who live less than an hour away,” notes Writer-at-Large Matt Kettmann, who reviews wines from California.

He points to Storrs Winery, a veteran of the region with 35 vintages in bottle, which consistently offers wines with ample fruit and salty minerality. A newer property, Mindego Ridge, has vines planted just 15 years ago, “but its mountainside site, surrounded by redwoods and constantly chilled by the Pacific influence, shows a stunning citrus purity.”

In other words, California Chardonnay is an exciting category worth exploring. These top-reviewed bottles, selected by our Tasting Department, are a great place to start.

“Maybe you love it when it’s fresh, citrus-scented and floral, or decadent and rich, or somewhere in the middle,” Capo says. “No matter your preference, there’s a Chard for every palate.”

Alpha Omega 2021 Toyon Vineyard Chardonnay (Carneros-Napa Valley)

Toasted and buttered baguette aromas waft from the glass as this creamy-textured yet lively wine brings poached pears, candied pineapple, vanilla and white pepper nuances to the palate. Complex and layered, the wine beautifully matches richness with finesse. Best 2025–2032. 97 Points  — Jim Gordon

$160 Alpha Omega Winery

Sangiacomo 2022 Four Siblings Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

The captivating nose of this wine expresses aromas of Anjou pear, honeycomb, marzipan and white flower. On the palate, a kaleidoscope of fresh Golden Delicious apple, pear and Rainier cherry flavors come with a subtle kiss of fresh sage and thyme. A very long finish dances between plush acidity and aromatic intensity. Editor’s Choice. 96 Points  — Tom Capo

$70 Sangiacomo Wines

Storrs 2021 Christie Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains)

The delicate yet intensely mineral nose of this bottling pairs a chalky base with blanched almond, lime peel and grapefruit zest aromas. The palate is zippy and firm, showing a yuzu-driven acidity alongside the unique kick of white pepper as it sails across the palate. 96 Points  — Matt Kettmann

$29 K&L Wines

Three Sticks 2022 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

Bright, focused apple and lemon aromas anchor the nose of this Chardonnay. The palate is clean and lively, displaying flavors of Honeycrisp apple, with tangerine and lemon winding up the intensity. A long, complex and mouthwatering finish comes in a framework of beautifully integrated French oak. Cellar Selection. 96 Points  — T.C.

$59 Wine.com

Flowers 2022 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

This native-yeast-fermented Chardonnay is a swirl of golden sunshine in the glass, with aromas of tangy tangerine, orange blossom and sweet cinnamon on the nose. Bright and balanced, the palate has lovely precision and freshness. Enjoy now–2040. Cellar Selection. 95 Points  — T.C.

$45 Wine.com

Auteur Wines 2022 Green Acres Chardonnay (Carneros)

Freshly linen, orange blossom, zested lemon, and nectarine aromas swirl from the glass of this vibrant and acid-driven Chardonnay. The palate is flush with pineapple and green apple freshness while extended sur-lie ageing with bâtonnage brings texture. Lovers of Chablis and Puligny-Montrachet will be entranced by this style. Editor’s Choice. 95 Points  — T.C.

$65 Auteur Wines

Dutton-Goldfield 2021 Dutton Ranch Walker Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

This elegant wine from Dan Goldfield smells subtle and spicy, tastes creamy and complex and feels bracing and light in texture. The harmony among fresh, crisp apples and pears, light toast and butter nuances and restrained oak toastiness is superb. Editor’s Choice. 96 Points  — J.G.

$55 Dutton-Goldfield

Mindego Ridge 2021 Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains)

This bottling begins with a fantastically dynamic nose, offering shiso, lemongrass, water chestnut and white flower aromas on a tightly woven frame. The palate pops with a minty sense of yuzu and more lemongrass, leaving a sensation in the mouth as flavors of crisp, white-fleshed fruit shine. 96 Points  — M.K.

$48 Mindego Ridge

Cuvaison 2021 Small Lot Hedon Estate Chardonnay (Carneros-Napa Valley)

A classic reserve-style wine, this poached pear and butterscotch-scented beauty reveals toasted almonds, peach nectar, honey and vanilla flavors that expand with each sip and linger nicely on the finish. The wine shows excellent concentration, layering and length. Pair it with filet of sole sauteed in butter. Editor’s Choice. 96 Points  — J.G.

$70 Cuvaison

A truncated version of this list originally appeared in the June/July 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

In the Shop

Organize and Display Your Wine in Style

Put an exceptional wine selection on display with decorative wine racks of every style, size, and placement for your home.

Shop All Wine Racks

The post In California, ‘Almost Magical’ Chardonnay Offers a Balance of Freshness and Flavor appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

You May Also Like: The Best Wineries (and More) to Visit in Sonoma Right Now

The Sonoma Valley—which includes the towns of Sonoma, Healdsburg, Glen Ellen, Guerneville and Forestville, among others—is home to a number of wonderful hotels, which can make finding the right one for your trip a challenge. We asked ten experts to recommend their personally vetted stays, which include an amenity-rich luxury resort, a boutique hotel set in a Gilded Age mansion and a tranquil retreat in the forest. (And when you’re finished with Sonoma? Bop over to one of these Napa Valley hotels.)

Sonoma

The Lodge at Sonoma

The Lodge at Sonoma is a stylish, quintessential wine country resort fresh off a $17 million renovation. Its design nods to Sonoma’s history, including a tapestry at check-in that features the nearby Mission San Francisco Solano and a poolside bar ensconced in a converted horse trailer. 

According to Ram’s Gate Winery’s general manager and winemaker Joe Nielsen, The Lodge is “great for its central location when visiting while also feeling secluded and relaxing.” Just a mile away is Sonoma Plaza, a shopping and restaurant destination; guests can easily get there using the free shuttle or riding the complimentary bicycles.

Rooms here are extra spacious and some offer private patios, outdoor fire pits and even outdoor soaking tubs. The beautifully landscaped ten-acre property has an outdoor pool and jacuzzi, fitness center, yoga studio and an art gallery that exhibits California artists. 

Nielsen also praises the hotel’s multiple dining options, especially Wit & Wisdom, chef Michael Mina’s first wine country restaurant, which dishes out seafood towers, wood-fired steak and pizzas. 

“It’s fantastic and has an extensive wine list that highlights a variety of local Sonoma producers,” he says. “It’s definitely a go-to for visitors and locals alike.” 

Guerneville

Dawn Ranch

The cabins and cottages at Dawn Ranch embody Sonoma’s natural beauty far better, some think, than its typical tasting rooms and vineyard hopping experiences. Such is the belief of Sonoma native Ryan Bailey, sommelier and director of operations at the Los Angeles Michelin-starred restaurant Kato. He usually stays here when visiting friends and family.

“Dawn Ranch is just off the Russian River and surrounded by beautiful old redwoods,” he says. “Guerneville itself feels more secluded and quiet than parts of Sonoma, which for me is ideal as I’m usually looking to connect with nature versus the traditional tourist attractions of Sonoma.”

While the hotel is a low-key getaway, it doesn’t sacrifice amenities. The recently renovated cabins are cozy and rustic—think mid-century furniture, antique carpets and wainscoting—but stocked with luxury comforts like Parachute bedding and Le Labo toiletries. 

Dawn Ranch’s complimentary activities include an introduction to birding, forest bathing and guided walks of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. S’mores kits, books and board games are freely available for guests who want to stay in and relax, and bike rentals are available to explore the area. Like many wine country hotels, Dawn Ranch also schedules complimentary wine tastings. 

The Stavrand

The Stavrand is a recently renovated boutique hotel set in a historic 1920s Spanish Revival house with a tile roof, covered porch and century-old fruit trees. The 21 Instagram-worthy rooms all have pillow-top beds, graphic wallpaper, soaking tubs and Scandinavian-inspired furniture.

Flowers Vineyards & Winery’s director of hospitality Ron Ryan recommends The Stavrand as it “[embodies] the very spirit of what makes this part of the world so special,” he says, adding that it is “surrounded by towering redwoods and lush greenery by the river.”

The six-acre property has a pool and hot tub, but since it’s just a couple of blocks away from the Russian River, we suggest borrowing one of the hotel’s kayaks for a glide down the waterway. A hot breakfast is included with each stay. 

In the evening, the restaurant offers a tasting menu that is some of the best food in Guerneville and it’s open exclusively to hotel guests.

Healdsburg

H2 Hotel

The H2 Hotel is a 36-room eco-friendly stay located a short walk from downtown Healdsburg’s shops and restaurants. David Osenbach, wine director of the Michelin-starred Los Angeles restaurant Providence, recommends this hotel and often stays here when he’s in town. 

“It's in a perfect location, right in the middle of downtown and has a fun eco-chic aesthetic that works really well with the space,” Osenbach says.

H2 will appeal to those looking for low-impact travel. Its minimalist rooms are sustainably designed with bamboo floors, Heath tile in the bathrooms, fair-trade furniture and 100% Egyptian cotton linens. Rooftop solar panels heat the pool and the landscaping is drought-tolerant. 

The hotel offers a complimentary continental breakfast, yoga class on Sunday mornings and a free bike rental for up to three hours. The hotel is also home to something unique: The only hand fan museum in the country. While there’s no spa available, guests book find massages, facials and body treatments at H2’s sister property, the Hotel Healdsburg, just around the corner. 

Montage Healdsburg

Montage Healdsburg only opened in 2020, but it has quickly become one of the most well-known luxury resorts in Sonoma. 

“It ranks among my top hotel picks in Sonoma County,” says John Jordan, Chief Executive Officer at Jordan Vineyard & Winery who loves the hotel’s “food and beverage offerings, attentive hospitality and sweeping views.”

The retreat is set on a sprawling 258-acre property and has 130 guest rooms and suites with stunning views of the surrounding oak groves and vineyards. The rooms are spread out and each feels private and secluded, the latter thanks to the abundance of mature trees, which the hotel’s developers took pains to leave undisturbed.

The rooms are decorated in soft earth tones that echo the surrounding landscape. In addition to a pool and fitness center, the property also features an archery range, bocce ball and pickleball courts, a tranquil yoga garden, spa and salon. 

The Madrona

The Madrona is located in one of Healdsburg’s historic late-19th century mansions, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Appropriately, the space has hints of Gilded Age grandeur mixed with contemporary touches thanks to a 2022 renovation by the San Francisco–based interior designer Jay Jeffers.

The refreshed interior features individually decorated rooms that are elegant yet whimsical and incorporate much of the original furniture and art, which dates to the 1890s. “The redesigned, yet still elegant, Madrona preserves an earlier time in Healdsburg while creating a luxurious and memorable experience,” says Healdsburg-based travel and wine writer Barbara Barielle.

There are only 24 rooms at The Madrona, but the hotel boasts a saltwater pool and fitness center. Guests can expect tony amenities like Italian linens, soft bathrobes and daily breakfast. But what makes The Madrona truly extraordinary is that locals like Barielle love it, too.

 “We enjoy the bar, restaurant and quiet privacy of The Madrona as much as visitors do—and that is always tricky to pull off,” she says. The Madrona screens movies on its lawn in the summer and has fun weekly events, like fried chicken Wednesdays.

Geyserville

Geyserville Inn

Geyserville Inn is located right between two of Sonoma’s most well-known AVAs, Alexander Valley and Dry Creek. Andrea Card, senior winemaker at Francis Ford Coppola Winery, frequently recommends the inn to her friends because not only is the location convenient, “it’s surrounded by Alexander Valley vineyards and has idyllic views of the Mayacamas Mountains, so you’re immersed in the tranquil side of wine country.”

The 41-room hotel is locally owned and operated and its picturesque surroundings make it popular for small weddings. 

“It’s quaint and all the rooms are all recently renovated, so the setting is magical,” Card says. The property also has a pool and hot tub and bocce ball court available to guests. 

Glen Ellen

Olea Hotel

Located in the quaint village of Glen Ellen, Olea is a small hotel that pays attention to the little details one expects from a high-end stay: Comphy bed sheets, heated bathroom floors and a complimentary two-course plated breakfast for guests each morning. 

Opened by husband-and-wife team Ashish and Sia Patel, Olea Hotel may be one of the only South Asian–owned boutique hotels in the area. Heena Patel, chef of Besharam in San Francisco, enjoys staying here because “it is clean and comfortable, but also has an amazing restaurant attached to the property,” she says. The rooms are modern and elegant and many include heated floors, fireplaces and private patios. 

The hotel takes peace and quiet seriously: It only allows guests over 13 years old, so visitors can expect a calm atmosphere in the pool and hot tub area. 

Gaige House

Inspired by Japanese ryokans, Gaige House offers a wellness-oriented stay in Glen Ellen. Amenities include a meditation and yoga studio, a heated outdoor pool and rooms with granite soaking tubs, large showers and rock gardens. Just like a traditional ryokan, the hotel provides robes and indoor and outdoor slippers for guests to use during their stay.

“Gaige House is located in an area known for its scenic beauty, which complement the warm hospitality,” says Henry Belmonte, owner of VJB Cellars. 

Every stay at Glen Ellen comes with complimentary breakfast, wine hour, fresh cookies and a nightcap of cordials. Relaxation is the operative word here. 

“Over the years, our guests have showered praise on the hotel and their experiences at the inn,” Belmonte says.

Forestville

Farmhouse Inn

The Farmhouse Inn is the definition of country-chic. It has a decades-long history as a scrappy bed and breakfast and lodge, but in 2001, siblings Joe and Catherine Bartolomei, fifth-generation Sonoma residents who grew up farming their family land, transformed the Farmhouse Inn into an elevated boutique hotel.

The 25 spacious guest rooms—spread between barn suites, cottages and farmhouse rooms—include amenities like heated floors, steam showers and gas fireplaces. They’re furnished with four-poster beds, industrial antiques and reclaimed wood furniture. It reads like a spread from Magnolia journal.

“Staying at Farmhouse Inn feels like being a guest at the home of a benevolent—and luxury-oriented—local farmer,” says travel writer Caitlin White. “The plush rooms are all massive by normal hotel standards, and tucked back into nature in a way that makes the whole experience feel very zen.”

The two restaurants on-site, the fine-dining Farmhouse Restaurant and the casual Farmstand, are both excellent. There’s a pool, hot tub and spa on property for a pampered weekend. After dinner, grab a s’mores kit and head to the fire pits—but save some space for the cookies and milk that come with the turndown service.

The post Where to Stay in Sonoma, From Gilded Age Mansions to Ryokan-Inspired Inns appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Now, there are more than 90 wineries spread across the Dahlonega Plateau AVA and the Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA that produce complex bottles from locally grown vinifera, like Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Petit Manseng, as well as hybrids such as Chambourcin, Seyval Blanc, Chardonel and Traminette. Because the area boasts warm days and cool nights during the growing season, viticulturists can achieve the acid levels needed to make impressive wines “with good fruit chemistry that expresses climate and region,” says Fritz Westover, a vineyard consultant known locally as “the vineyard whisperer.”  

You May Also Like: Welcome to Georgia’s Dahlonega Plateau AVA

Prominent wineries like Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Frogtown Cellars are typically placeholders in major domestic wine competitions. Others, like Cloudland Vineyards + Winery, Crane Creek, Limoges Cellars and Stonewall Creek Vineyards, are similarly acclaimed for terroir-expressive wines. But with so many options these days, it can be hard to narrow down an itinerary for a North Georgia wine weekend. To make the most of this bucolic enclave of vines, we quizzed the experts on the best places to eat, sleep and, most importantly, drink. Here’s what they had to say.  

Accent Cellars 

Dahlonega, Georgia 

Founded by local winemaker Tristen Vanhoff, his wife Katie Vanhoff and brother Tyler Barnes, Accent sources grapes from near and far. Its estate vineyard is planted with Norton and it also makes wine from using Chambourcin, Blanc du Bois and Muscadine grapes from other local vineyards. Accent sources fruit from Texas, California and Washington’s Yakima Valley. This enables Vanhoff to create a wide range of bottles. “From the winemaking side, they really aren’t afraid to try things,” says Sean Wilborn, of Cloudland Vineyards  + Winery.  

Walk up to the sleek white counter or grab an outside table to taste seven days a week without a reservation (make one if you have more than five people in your group though). On Saturdays guests can reserve a slot on the Winemaker’s Reserve Tasting, a sit-down with Barnes that delves into everything from fermentation to terroir and flavor profiles for $55 per person. The winery also hosts many live events, from comedy to painting to a winemaker’s dinner spotlighting local chefs. 

Where to Stay: The Mountain Top Lodge is a 35-year-old bed and breakfast favored by locals for both date nights and weekend getaways for its bird’s eye mountain views and proximity to downtown Dahlonega.  

Where to Eat: Montaluce Winery and Restaurant is known for noteworthy aged wines and its Trattoria di Montaluce, one of the best places to eat in the area. “You turn on what looks like a simple country road and then all of a sudden see massive houses covered in vines and gorgeous tall trees—out of nowhere, it becomes postcard-level gorgeous,” says Henna Bakshi, the editor of Eater Atlanta. She recommends “sitting among the vineyards” while savoring “spot-on” pizza, cheese and charcuterie, and pasta, like spaghetti carbonara and lasagna Bolognese.  

CeNita Vineyards, Winery and Tasting Room

Cleveland, Georgia 

CeNita Vineyards, named for co-owner Greg Crumley’s parents, Cecil and Juanita, is located on what once was a family dairy. Greg and wife Carol’s approach to Chambourcin, a French-American hybrid, is so impressive, says Kristina Limoges, co-owner of Limoges Cellars, it inspired her and her husband Daniel to plant an acre based on “the potential we saw in the grape to produce easy-drinking, fruit-forward wines.”  

The wines warrant a trip, but Charles Ernst, co-owner of VIP Southern Tours hails laid-back, welcoming atmosphere along with its “beautiful views, firepits and hammocks and family-friendly approach that’s popular with both locals and tourists.”  

CeNita is open Friday through Monday till 6 pm. Flights cost $12 for four pours, $15 for six pours and $18 for six pours with a souvenir glass. 

Where to Stay: Southern Seasons Inn in Clarkesville, Georgia, offers five pastel rooms in a 1901 Victorian home. Each room has a spacious soaking tub and color scheme and furnishings intended to evoke a particular season. For example, the autumn room combines dark wood furnishings with warm rust tones, pale green and brown accents. Daily breakfast is a highlight with dishes like gingerbread French toast or ham-and-cheese quiche with a rosemary herb crust and horseradish cream. Rooms range from $235 to $325. 

Where to Eat: At Bodensee Bavarian Restaurant, a 20-minute drive away in Helen’s Bavarian-inspired downtown, take in the sounds of live accordion music while filling up German specialties such as schnitzel, sauerbraten, goulash and tafelspitz, gently simmered beef sliced and served with horseradish gravy and potato dumplings.  

Cloudland Vineyards and Winery 

Buford, Georgia 

Cloudland is a suitable first stop when traveling north from Atlanta, as it’s less than an hour drive from the airport. Owner Sean Wilborn is committed to regenerative farming and minimal-intervention winemaking. Kristina Limoges suggests trying the “delicious pet-nats,” made from Chardonnay and the hybrid Villard Blanc, which is well-suited to the area’s humid climate. “Sean is one of the only organic practicing winemakers in Georgia, a difficult landscape because of disease pressure and muddy soils,” says Bakshi.  

Guests can taste through the sustainable wines like single-varietal Lenoir and Lomanto, while snacking on vineyard “nibbles” like pimento cheese spread, Castelvetrano olives, Mission figs and charcuterie boards. From Wednesday through Sunday, guests can pop in and taste “at their own pace,” says Wilborn, moving through a flight of five wines for $25. Reservations are required for groups of six or more. 

Where to Stay: Georgia’s first post-Prohibition grapevines were planted on the site of Château Élan Winery and Resort in 1981, whose wines now boast a global focus. The resort, styled like a pastoral French chateau, is a luxurious escape with a golf course, spa, speakeasy and impressive bourbon bar. Rooms at The Inn start at roughly $280 and have a French-inspired design theme with soft gray, plush furnishings and lots of natural light. Visitors can also opt for lodgins at the spa or within a private villa, at a higher price point.  

On estate grounds, a Hampton Inn offers rooms starting at $152 a night. There are seven restaurants on-site, including Paddy’s Irish Pub, built in Dublin and transported and reassembled on the property in 1997; Marc Restaurant & Bar for premium cuts of steak from filet mignon to tomahawk ribeye; and The Versailles Room, a luminous atrium where tempting dinner fare includes pan-seared scallops in an herb butter sauce alongside a parsnip puree and braised short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes and broccolini. 

Where to Eat: Venture into historic downtown Buford, named for railroad magnate Algernon Sidney Buford in 1872, to dine at Tani Thai. This restaurant—which is located in a red brick townhouse built in 1890 and has a cozy, dark wood- and brick-filled dining room—originated in New York and later traveled to Miami before landing in Georgia. Mainstays like Pad Thai and massaman curry are served alongside house specialties such as Royal Duck, a crispy filet served with a ginger cherry wine sauce. 

Crane Creek Vineyards 

Young Harris, Georgia 

This beautiful vineyard in the Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA, which spans roughly 690 square miles across western North Carolina and northern Georgia, is known for estate-grown wines and spectacular views from its Stone House Tasting Room and terrace patio. There, wines such as award-winning Cabernet Franc-Norton blend dubbed Hellbender Red, a forced-carbonation Lomanto and white Zusa hybrid and vinifera blend, are offered by the flight, glass or bottle. Second-generation winemaker Peter Seifarth “is doing an awesome job in not only honoring the land and his father's legacy, but in not being afraid to experiment,” says Bakshi. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday; between April and November winery tours are available for $40 per person. 

Where to Stay: Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa is located near several local wineries including Living Waters, Chateau Meichtry, Hightower Creek Vineyards and Odom Springs Vineyards. Guests can opt for one of eight cottages tucked into the surrounding wilderness or a room in the lodge.  

Where to Eat: Hiawassee Brew serves local wines and craft beers alongside burritos, pizzas, fish and chips and a wide range of tacos. The convivial spot has commanding views of the tree-covered slopes and frequently features live music. 

Creekstone Vineyards & Winery 

Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia 

Creekstone Vineyards & Winery serves reserve wines produced at sister winery and predecessor Habersham Winery, which was a forerunner of post-Prohibition viticulture in northern Georgia. Creekstone’s architecture is stunning and includes a symmetrical double staircase, second-floor balcony, and several intimate tasting nooks and sitting rooms with handsome wood paneling and white molding (think Restoration Hardware meets Provençal estate). “It has a beautiful view and lovely wines, with outside seating,” says Ernst. “It’s a nice spot to bring our groups.”  

Just $16 scores a tasting of five wines, like the Blanc de Blanc-style sparkling Southern Harvest made of Muscadine, peach- and citrus-scented single-varietal Seyval Blanc and the light and balanced 100% Chardonel Chateau White. Reservations are not required for groups under 10.  

Where to Stay: Valhalla Resort and Spa in Helen combines modern finishes with Bavarian castle accents, including two towers. The property is on a gentle rolling hill and offers dramatic mountain views from its Sky Bar. Head over at sunset to savor cocktails like the Violet French 75 or peach Old Fashioned.  

Where to Eat: Valhalla’s ground floor Caledonia Room sports old world European flair, with a regal insignia above the bar, red high-backed leather chairs and neatly folded black napkins—along with impressive panoramas of the sprawling Sautee Nacoochee Valley. Dinner fare is elegant, with many ingredients locally sourced for entrees like filet mignon in a Cabernet butter sauce and pistachio-crusted mahi. 

Engelheim Vineyards 

Ellijay, Georgia 

The tasting room at Engelheim, a farm winery, blends Bavarian and Tudor design in a single-story farmhouse that sits at the crest of sloping 15-acre vineyard. An underlying faith-based sensibility is present, with a statue of an angel in the front yard, a wooden cross in the vineyard, and wines named for spiritual observance, like Doxology, a blend of Petite Verdot, Syrah and Zinfandel grapes that won best Georgia Wine in 2021 at the Georgia Trustees Wine & Spirits Competition. Bakshi praises it for its jamminess and also suggests trying the well-rounded Pinot Grigio. Daniel and Kristina Limoges describe Engelheim’s Vidal Blanc as “a beautiful expression of this easy-growing hybrid grape.” 

Taste your way through $15 customized flights at a wrought-iron table outside or within an elevated screened-in patio that’s warmed by a fireplace. The winery is open seven days a week; reservations are not needed, and live music is a mainstay on weekend afternoons.  

Where to Stay: Mountain Top Cabin Rentals, in Blue Ridge, is a group of 30 cabins, some surrounded by woods and wilderness, others featuring mountain views or creekside tranquility. The mountain retreat has cozy vibes with communal picnic tables, contemporary kitchens and elegant sitting rooms with stone fireplaces and leather armchairs. Lodging starts at $160 per night 

Where to Eat: Enjoy views of Ellijay on the spacious upper-deck of The Roof, a tarped, sun-shaded patio that’s known for its Southern favorites. Fried green tomatoes, boiled peanuts, Angus meatloaf with Blue Oyster mushroom sauce and pecan-crusted Appalachian trout are house delicacies. 

Kaya Vineyard & Winery 

Dahlonega, Georgia 

At 1,600 feet in elevation, Kaya Vineyard and Winery offers views that capture what makes this mountainous wine region such a magical place to explore. The interior tasting room is a high-ceilinged spacious farmhouse-style space with several warm single-bulb lights, simple lantern chandeliers, a marble countertop bar and a smooth stone floor. Take a seat on the patio and admire the Blue Rides peaks while sipping through the estate’s many Chardonnays. A stainless-steel fermented Chardonnay expresses crisp apples and hints of stone fruit. A fuller-bodied pale gold barrel-aged Chardonnay reflects oak and creamier notes, while a brut sparkling expression offers citrus, peach and pear with refreshing minerality. Customize a flight of five wines for $25 Tuesday through Sunday until 5 pm. On Fridays, linger till 7 pm to enjoy live music and the changing light at dusk. 

Where to Stay: The Dahlonega Square Hotel dates from the 1880s in the town’s historic district. Its Gilded Age sitting room feels like a throwback to another era, accented with a crystal chandelier and handsome leather armchairs. Rooms blend contemporary with retro design, like modern, oblong headboards, vintage velvet settees and braided rugs. Kaya’s on-site cottages also offer striking vineyard and mountain views. 

Where to Eat: The Smith House, near Dahlonega’s downtown square, is set in the 1899 home of a successful Gold Rush baron—and still feels as lavish as ever. The signature house buttermilk fried chicken originated with owner Bessie Smith in 1922, when a meal and a stay cost $1.50. The current owners, the Welch family, uphold a menu of iconic Southern fare, like fried chicken, fried okra and pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy, served family style at communal tables. 

Limoges Cellars 

Cleveland, Georgia 

At Limoges Cellars, Daniel and Kristina Limoges created an incubator for North Georgia estate-grown wines and one of the only vineyards, aside from Engelheim, growing Grüner Veltliner and Albariño. Tristen Vanhoff describes Daniel Limoges as “pushing boundaries,” in avidly pursuing different techniques and styles, like a traditional-method “Blanc du Pommes” made with apples from Mercier Orchards in nearby Blue Ridge and the “Femme Saleé” (or “salty girl”), an estate Albariño with refreshing salinity. Taste through these experimental wines in their modern barn-house tasting room. The chic space features cool vintage accents including Greco-Roman busts and leatherbound books with apothecary-style shelves displaying the bottles. It’s open until 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday and by appointment on Wednesdays. Tastings start at $12. 

Where to Stay: Lucille's Mountain Top Inn & Spa, just 11 miles away in Sautee Nacoochee, reflects the Arts and Crafts style inside and out with wood furnishings and beautifully etched, arched windows framing the mountain vistas. A rooftop promontory also offers breathtaking views of the Sautee and Nacoochee valleys. Every day, guests are offered a two-course homemade breakfast that includes a sweet dish followed by a savory option such as quiche, omelets and eggs Florentine with house-baked bread.  

Where to Eat: Harvest Habersham is in a small cottage with a rear garden surrounded by oaks. Every ingredient is locally sourced, “right down to the micro-green garnish,” says Kristina Limoges. The menu changes daily, and reservations are essential. Ernst notes the restaurant’s wine events spotlight a diverse lineup of global producers.   

Roo Mountain Vineyards 

Ellijay, Georgia  

This gorgeous 226-acre vineyard planted with 6,000 vines has stunning views. Wilborn says, “Everything I’ve tasted so far is of a high quality.”  

The Roost Red is the first release from the estate vines that were planted in 2020, a popular blend of 66% Petit Verdot and 34% Merlot. Until the rest of those estate wines are released in the coming years, guests can sample through winemaker Robert Loomis’s wide range of varieties sourced from all over the United States, from Washington’s Columbia Valley and New York’s Erie region. These include the white blend called Mother Clucker and Bird Brain, a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Vidal Blanc that Loomis says appeals to many consumers by evoking a note of sweetness.  

A rooftop garden tasting bar offers majestic views and has 26 different wines on tap available in preset flights. 

Where to Stay: The Ellijay River House Bed & Breakfast is an inviting, homey brick bungalow with an inviting sunlit dining room anchored by a gold chandelier. It has a serene porch and riverside deck that beckon guests to hang around and relax, but its close proximity to downtown Elijay’s make it convenient for those who want to dine out and shop. 

Where to Eat: The Butcher and Bottle, in downtown Elijay, is housed in a two-story red brick building dating from 1909. Enjoy its Southern-inflected steakhouse fare—like lobster hush puppies and red wine–braised short ribs—in its festive brick barroom, wooden deck or in the spacious dining room with beautiful antique windows. 

Stonewall Creek Vineyards 

Tiger, Georgia  

This vineyard, which offers lovely views of Glassy Mountain, reaches more than 3,400 feet in elevation and benefits from a cool morning fog. It’s home to well-selected varietals, including Petit Manseng, Malbec and Traminette. These grapes helped the winery earn 10 medals from the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Competition. Those wines and the scenic tasting room deck are reason enough to visit, but the fun vibe is a major draw, too. It’s got a nine-hole disc golf course that winds through the vines as well as bocce ball, corn hole and soccer. It’s open from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday.  

Where to Stay: The White Birch Inn, in Clayton, was built in the 1920s and is furnished with lovely accents like plush armchairs and a massive stone fireplace in the sitting room. Each one of the well-appointed rooms, which come with evening turndown service, is named and after plants such as Mountain Laurel, Hemlock, Willow, Persimmon and Holly. Rates range from $190 to $430. 

Where to Eat: Fortify Kitchen & Bar sources ingredients from 28 farms, wineries and distilleries across the South. These local ingredients—from purveyors like Anson Mills, Sylan Falls Mills and Crunkleton Farms—are put to good use in dishes like pickled fried green tomatoes with Manchego-cheddar grits and cornmeal-crusted trout.  

Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery 

Dahlonega, Georgia 

At Wolf Mountain Vineyards, which opened in 2002, “You feel as though you're sipping from the edge of a cliff,” says Sherry Popovic, a contributor to North Georgia Living magazine. The award-winning winery is within a building that looks like a palatial mountaintop lodge with two airy balconies. Sparkling wines are particularly noteworthy, made in the méthode Champenoise style, such as the blanc de blancs brut and brut rosé, which includes its dry red Claret blend as part of the dosage. After your tasting (which starts at $25 per person), head outside to the open-air veranda to snack on pizzas, sandwiches, salads and snacks, all of which boast a recommended wine pairing on the menu. Make sure to keep an out for for themed Sunday brunch events that offer various tributes (think: Tuscany and barbecue) and other seasonal highlights.  

Where to Stay: At Cavender Creek Cabins at Cavender Creek Vineyards & Winery, between Dahlonega and Helen, guests can choose from three unique cottages. Options include the stately Winemaker’s Cottage, which is in a log cabin that dates from the early 19^th century. 

Where to Eat: Spirits Tavern in Dahlonega is “a high-quality gastropub” says Vanhoff. It’s known for its excellent burgers, inventive salads and sourcing products from local farms. Pro tip: Order the Springer Mountain Farms chicken breast, a staple of the handheld menu, that’s delicious both grilled and fried.  

Yonah Mountain Vineyards 

Cleveland, Georgia

Located at the base of Yonah Mountain, which towers 3,156 feet in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, this 200-acre property produces wine from estate-grown and Napa Vally grapes. Its spectacular octagonal tasting room—which features a magnificent domed ceiling, skylights and large patio windows on all sides—is an ideal place to take in the views of the sloped vineyards and famous peak. Estate wines, such as single-varietal Viognier and a rosé of Cabernet Franc, are available in several flight options, which start at $35 and come with a commemorative Yonah Mountain Vineyards Riedel wine glass. For a more immersive experience, consider signing up for either a 90-minute Reserve Wine Tasting that explores Yonah Mountain wines alongside bottles from around the world or Winery Select Tour that goes through the winery and caves with a tasting of six wines and a wine, culminating with a wine and chocolate pairing. 

Where to Stay: The Stovall House Inn, which sits on 27 acres in Sautee Nacoochee and dates from 1837, offers gorgeous views of nearby Lynch Mountain. Each of the five rooms, which include an al fresco sleeping porch, is awash with sunlight from windows and skylights. Owners Jeff Sidwell and Erin Fight have created a warm space on the porch with wicker loveseats, white rocking chairs, potted plants and antique lanterns that practically beg guests to kick back and relax. For breakfast, they offer homemade dishes like breakfast crepes with berry compote, zucchini bread with a goat cheese glaze, creamy grits and soft scrambled farm fresh eggs, made of ingredients sourced from nearby businesses like Yonah Mountain Farms and Betty’s Country Store.  

Where to Eat: Just a 15-minute drive from Cleveland, Ernst recommends Bangkok Haus for “exceptional Thai food” as well as Spice 55 “for incredible sushi and a fun drink list.”

The post North Georgia’s Wine Country Is Experiencing a Metamorphosis—Here’s Where to Explore appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

It’s still early days for “Mezcalifornia,” as some have jokingly dubbed the state’s burgeoning agave industry. Agave spirits produced outside Mexico can’t legally be called mezcal or tequila. But already, small batches of California-made distillate show glimmers of promise, with wild, far-ranging floral, vegetal, smoky or mineral flavors reminiscent of mezcal.

Right now, it’s challenging to get your hands on a bottle. But eventually, California agave will be coming your way.

If it weren’t for climate change, there might not be a Mezcalifornia.

You May Also Like: Your Guide to Mezcal—And Why Agave Type Matters

“We’re desperate for water out here,” says Alec Wasson, executive director of the California Agave Council, a trade organization of growers and distillers. “Over the last 20 years, it’s been trending less and less water. That’s how we got into agave.”

Some growers have turned to drought-resistant agave to supplement or replace crops that require lots of water; others are using the succulents as a firebreak, as increased wildfires have threatened the state’s agriculture.

Of course, California isn’t the only U.S. state working with agave: Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, among others, are also working with the plants, and other countries around the world are growing agave, too. But California is clearly at the forefront, in large part due to the work of dogged visionary Craig Reynolds, president and founding director of the California Agave Council.

Three decades of work in the California legislature (including a 14-year stint as chief of staff for now-retired senator Lois Wolk) prepared him well to navigate gnarly regulations in agriculture and beverage alcohol. Further, he and his wife were longtime volunteers with Project Amigo, traveling regularly to Colima, Mexico, to work with the non-profit, which supports educational opportunities for local children. A fundraiser selling tequila bottles to support the organization led to Reynolds trying his hand growing agave and bottling an agave spirit.

You May Also Like: The Global Agave Boom Has Arrived

That journey led him back to California, where he saw the potential for drought-resistant agave to supplement crops across the state. Along the way, he’s joined with other pioneers who see the possibility of creating a homegrown agave spirit.

Of course, America’s seemingly unquenchable thirst for agave suggests plenty of demand for the spirit, whatever it ends up being named. Between 2003 and 2023, tequila and mezcal volume grew 294%, or about 7.1% yearly growth on average, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

“It’s ultimately irrelevant what you call it,” says Reynolds. “We want our agave to be its own thing.”

Agave Plants in Wine Country

While the movement started up north in Yolo County, it has since radiated all across the state.

“It feels like you’re in a different world,” Wasson says. “You’re not used to seeing this in California. Everywhere you look, there’s pointy agaves.”

For many would-be growers and distillers, the first question is which of the 200-plus types of agave will work best, depending on variables like elevation, soil types and climate. “Agaves are durable, but frost is an issue,” Wasson notes. In Mexico, the huge, green-gray blue weber (Weber Azul or Agave tequilana) is the only variety approved to make tequila—and some Californian growers are planting blue weber here. But many seek to make their mark with different varieties.

For example, at Stargazer Spirits in Glen Ellen, cofounders Laurie and Adam Goldberg cultivate more than 30 agave types in the bowl of an extinct volcano, in Sonoma’s Moon Mountain AVA. After a long career working in craft beer import and distribution, the couple finally purchased their own farmland in Sonoma County.

“As we looked to what was going on with climate change and the drought in California, it seemed like a good idea,” Laurie recalls. (Of note, agave requires about a quarter of the water that wine grapes do, they estimate.) They started by planting 1.5 acres; over three years, that has grown to six, and they’re hoping to expand that to a total of 80 acres.

Today, they’re keeping an eye on which agaves thrive best, with plans to winnow that to about 15 varieties. So far espadín— a key variety used to make mezcal—has been a bust, they say, while salmiana has thrived, offering “really beautiful bell pepper and jalapeño flavor.”

“There are hundreds of varieties of agave that can be distilled,” Adam says. “And they taste very different, like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay taste different. And the same plant grown in three different places will taste differently.”

And while grapevines mature in a season, agave plants stay in place for about seven years, the hearts buried firmly underground. “They really extract from the soil,” he says. “Agave is reflective of the soil and the place, even more so than grapes.”

You May Also Like: Can There Be Terroir in Spirits?

From Almonds to Agave

Similarly, Stuart Woolf works with a dozen different agave varieties, purchased in Mexico and transplanted to the U.S. His Fresno County-based Woolf Farming company is known for tomatoes, almonds and other crops—but drought concerns drove him to found California Agave Growers, which focuses on providing agave nursery stock to distillers and others in the state.

“Agave represents a glimmer of hope that we can help keep these lands and keep the water flowing,” Woolf says. “We’re vertically integrated: We grow tomatoes and process them. We grow almonds, and we process them. My vision is: Could we one day have estate-processed agave in California?”

Ultimately, he’d like to produce a distillate featuring blend of agaves that would be unique to the state—an “ensamble,” in mezcal-speak.

“Talking to other growers and craft distillers here in California, people aren’t looking to do a knock-off of tequila’s legacy or mezcal,” he posits. “We’re looking to create something a little different.”

You May Also Like: The Best Mezcal to Drink Right Now

It's Like Caddyshack

Meanwhile, the state’s agave farmers are grappling with how to grow agave in conditions that may be very different from those in Mexico. It’s not easy—although sometimes growers find humor in the situation.

Among the key issues: differing climates and soil means differing pests. “They don’t have gophers in Mexico, at least not like they have here,” Woolf complains. “Gophers love agave! It’s our number one pest. It’s a sweet plant, there’s sugars in it, and gophers will eat the entire bulb underground and the whole plant just lays down.”

At agave symposiums, the gopher problem is often the first question posed by growers. Some set gopher traps; others encourage owls to prey on the burrowing rodents.

“It’s like Caddyshack,” Woolf says, half-joking. “My son is out in the field throwing smoke bombs into the gopher holes.”

Door-to-Door Service

Perhaps the most intriguing business model is that of Gian Nelson of Jano (pronounced “HA-no”) Spirits: while he waits multiple years for his agave plants to ripen, he has found a creative workaround to find fully matured plants to harvest and distill.

“We’ve taken to knocking on people’s doors,” he explains, approaching properties and even residential homes where fully grown plants are visible, often as decorative landscaping. “When we see Agave americanas we’ll knock on their door and start a conversation and harvest their agaves. There are plenty of ranches with them roaming free on their property. We’ve become a door-to-door service. We take the pups off the mother agaves.”

When possible, he also works with farmers on small-batch bottlings.

“Our first two batches, we were lucky enough to get to know Henry Garcia, our first Agave americana farmer,” Nelson says. “He and his father were growing these agaves to make pulque, a kind of agave wine. Unfortunately, his father passed away. I got to know him. We’re both ex-Marines, both of Mexican descent. We made our first batch with him.”

Committing to pursing a local expression, the agave was fermented with native yeast from the property and cooked in an earthen underground pit for 5–6 days, using local wood for the fire, similar to the way ancestral mezcal is made. After distillation in copper pots, the spirit was proofed with well water, also from the property. “In that way, you can really capture the land and the people who grow these plants,” Nelson explains. The finished spirit had a citrusy profile, with a bit of smokiness from the cooking process and a vegetal, jalapeño-like bite.

“There’s a lot of complexity to it,” Nelson says. “The highest compliment we ever got was, ‘Oh, this isn’t mezcal?’”

You May Also Like: Additives in Tequila Are Hugely Controversial. But Do They Really Matter?

The Wild West

Compared to Mexico, which has centuries of well-honed traditions, California’s fledgling distilleries are still figuring out how it’s all going to work. Some steam agaves, akin to tequila; others cook them in a pit, akin to mezcal or raicilla; still others are jerry-rigging stills typically used to make whiskey or vodka.

“We’re trying to blaze our own trail when it comes to processes,” Nelson says. “I think of our ancestors, the gold mining pioneers. They had to figure it all out, there was no mining industry. We don’t have tahonas [stone wheels to crush agave] or hornos [ovens to cook agave]. We have to figure it out. We’ve had enough harvests under our belt, we have a pretty good foundation for what we have to do. And we’re refining it every time we have to do it.”

While many have relied on consultation with legacy distillers and growers in Mexico, plenty of others relish the excitement of going their own way.

“There’s a cool freedom that comes from being outside the rules of tequila and mezcal,” Adam Goldberg says. “Because we don’t have the rules that dictate how our spirits need to be produced, how the agave needs to be registered and grown…we’ll see different styles and production methods you wouldn’t see in Mexico.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean that California agave is completely freewheeling. In 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law legislation requiring that “California agave spirits” can only be made from California-grown agave, and that they cannot contain any flavor or coloring additives.

But the biggest challenge of all? Growers, distillers and agave enthusiasts alike are eager to see more bottlings come to market, and demand still outpaces supply.

“It’s so new, as soon as one of the distilleries comes out with a new batch, it sells out so quickly,” Wasson says. “People are gobbling it up, they’re so hungry to try it.”

But that scarcity won’t last forever, proponents promise.

“Right now, the biggest restriction in California is the limited availability of agaves,” laments Nelson, who is literally knocking on doors of ranchers and homeowners to harvest their plants. “But there will be more agaves, and that will open the door to other distillers that want to put their efforts in and make agave spirit.”

“A lot of great things will happen,” Nelson predicts. “It’s like the wild West. We just can’t wait to get there.”

With typical California hubris, Wasson even name-checks the Judgment of Paris in 1976, the infamous moment when a California wine bested a French favorite in competition. “I look back at my history, [when people were told] no one can make world-class wine in California; no one goes to California to drink wine,” he says.

You May Also Like: The Best Mezcal Bars in America

California Agave to Try

Made in very small batches, it’s still very difficult to get California agave spirits, especially out of state. But if you’re eager sip some, here are the ones to hunt down:

This article originally appeared in the June/July 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

In the Shop

Sip with Elegance

Our selection of barware glasses and personalized sets are the perfect way to enjoy that special bottle and end your night on a good note.

Shop All Barware

The post Welcome to Mezcalifornia: Inside California’s Agave Boom appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Working with his dad beginning in 1968 at Jack Neal & Son Vineyard Management, which he now owns, Neal pioneered or popularized practices that have become standard in Napa Valley and beyond: night harvesting, dual driplines for irrigation and converting vineyards to certified organic and certified biodynamic status. In late 2022, his Howell Mountain estate winery, Neal Family Vineyards, became the first in Napa Valley to become certified by the Regenerative Organic Alliance.

You May Also Like: Your Guide to Sustainable Wine Certifications

Neal and his 420 employees manage the most CCOF-Certified acres in Napa Valley and claim the largest biodynamic farming operation in the United States. He has worked quietly over the decades, not looking for public credit for his accomplishments. However, one of his innovations is starting to make some noise. It’s an unusual vineyard layout and trellis system that’s been hiding in plain sight since he implemented it in 1997 on a quiet side road in the Rutherford AVA. The 18-acre property on Mee Lane is named Rutherford Dust Vineyard and includes 16 acres growing on a dual trellis that is rare if not unique in the world.

No Half Measures

Last fall at harvest time, the wide-spaced vine rows here on the land where he was raised appeared simply tall and bushy. Looking closer, especially after veraison when red wine grapes turn their dark color and white wine grapes turn golden, the unusual nature of Neal’s setup became clear. Red grapes and white grapes occupy the same trellis, but with the red ones on top and the white ones below.

Neal planted a white-wine vine in between each red-wine vine, so that the trunks alternate. The red vines, in this case, Cabernet Sauvignon, are trained up high where they get lots of sun, and the white vines, Sauvignon Blanc in some blocks and Vermentino in others, are trained on low wires in the dappled shade below.

This dual-trellis vineyard yields twice the tonnage of grapes that the land used to, and with similar high quality, Neal says, yet the cost of farming both together is only less than 50% more. With the Cabernet Sauvignon leaves on top shading the white grapes below from sunburn, it’s possible to create a relatively cool environment in this warm appellation. Neal remembers drinking white wines grown in Rutherford when he was young, but now the district is virtually all red. This is a way to make whites feasible again in the mid-valley in a changing climate riddled with heat spikes, wildfires and drought, he says.

Laura May Everett was inspired for similar reasons to grow white grapes in Martha’s Vineyard, her 32-acre property on the western side of Oakville, Napa Valley. Long renowned for its Cabernet Sauvignon, the property included seven acres of Riesling made into wine by Heitz Cellar when she was growing up there. This section was long ago converted to Cabernet Sauvignon, but the vines have been overly vigorous, so this year she is having Neal replant it in the dual trellis mode with Cabernet Sauvignon on the top and a mix of Albariño, Fiano and other whites on the bottom.

Neal has managed Martha’s Vineyard since the late 1980s and Everett trusts his judgment on the unusual vineyard layout. She says, “I didn’t find it unbelievable, I just thought, ‘Why hasn’t someone else thought of this?’ If you’re farming it correctly and you’re not taking everything out of the soil without putting it back, then it’s a slam dunk. I am very excited to see the results. It feels very natural, a good use of the land and very symbiotic.”

Neal is equally passionate about the environmental benefits of the dual trellis and its high yield per acre. Producing more wine on less land and doing it with earth- and climate-friendly regenerative practices is a win-win, he says. Less land is taken away from the shrinking wild spaces in the valley, and more wine is available for people to enjoy.

You May Also Like: Why Vineyards and Vines Look Different from One Another

Dual Purposes

Carbon sequestration, the act of putting carbon back in the ground rather than leaving it in gaseous form in the air where it increases climate change, is a big part of Neal’s climate-action push. He says that the densely planted vines in his dual-trellis vineyard sequester 3.5 times more carbon per acre than the University of California’s experimental vineyard in nearby Oakville, Napa Valley.

“I’ve returned so much more [carbon to the soil] because I’m mulching all the canopies and I’ve got the leaves, all that,” he says. “I’m really building more organic material than ever before with that dual system. And I’m watering less and using less fungicide. I’m using less of everything because I’m not farming two times more, just growing two times more. Not taking out forests, doing everything within the property.”

Despite all the apparent advantages, the dual trellis may face a challenge with perceptions. It’s practically a commandment in winemaking that lower yields make better wines, and the yields per acre here are as high as in the industrial-farmed vineyards around Fresno, California. But the proof is in the bottle. I blind-tasted wines made from this vineyard for his Neal Family Vineyard label against similar wines. The 2021 Vermentino Rutherford Dust was savory and subtle, rating 91 points, and the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon was elegant, expansive and velvety, rating 97 points.

Others have favorable opinions, too. One is winemaker Mike Hirby, co-owner of Relic Wine Cellars, a small Napa operation making high-end wines from varied vineyard sites. He bought two tons of Neal’s Vermentino from the 2023 harvest grown on the dual trellis, enough for at least 100 cases.

“The wine turned out great,” Hirby said, citing vibrant, complex and sunny flavors in the grapes with 13.5 percent potential alcohol, low malic acid and a pH of 3.5. “When I first saw the trellis, I thought a pitfall was the question of light and shade for the lower canopy. But his crew handles it well, with good dappled sunlight getting through, no botrytis—and it was a tough year for that.”

It will be Relic’s first-ever Vermentino. Hirby says, “I am always a fan of supporting uncommon varieties, partly just to keep Napa Valley more diverse and learn more about what Napa can do for the future.”

You May Also Like: Wineries Strive for Carbon Neutrality. Is It Enough?

Doubling Down

Neal returns to the question of yields and wine quality when I visit with him again at the Neal Family Vineyards winery on Howell Mountain, where his wife, Laura, and daughter Demitria also work. The vineyard here is an organic, biodynamic and Regenerative Organic Certified property, where the family’s resident herd of sheep grazes the cover crops in spring and the emphasis is on building healthy soil.

The expansive winery and cave are adorned with graceful copper light fixtures and other copper furnishings designed and welded by Neal himself. He is both polymath and jack of all trades, equally deft at handling soils, plants, metals and machines.

How is it that a piece of land can produce twice the yield of demonstrably high-quality wine grapes than virtually any winemaker or master sommelier would expect? He breaks it down into measurable factors including the length of a vine’s shoots, looseness of the clusters, small size of the berries and also a grapevine’s inherent ability to simply get the job done.

Neal describes how the Rutherford Dust Vineyard dual trellis takes advantage of a good groundwater supply, with 2,200 vines per acre competing for water and sunshine. The competition keeps them from growing too many shoots and leaves, he says, and instead sends a generous amount of ripening energy into the grapes.

Neal says, “Our canopies are right there at that 36-inch, 40-inch shoot length, which is your balance for two clusters per shoot. Over the 25 years that I’ve been doing this trellis I’ve noticed that basically the vines will find that balance within themselves with that dual system. And that’s why I’m a firm believer in it, because I’m not having these five-foot or six-foot canes and a crazy amount of crop. You could see that these vines really want to do well for you. Why wouldn’t they? You’ve just got to support them by doing the right thing.”

You May Also Like: RELATED PRINT ARTICLE

Another Napa Valley vineyard owner who has faith in Neal’s innovations is Miguel Solares. His property on Zinfandel Lane, Solares Vineyards, holds 20 acres of organically grown vines, including six acres that Neal converted from diseased Cabernet Sauvignon vines to a dual trellis four years ago. Solares now has new Cabernet and Petite Sirah grapes on top and white Albarino grapes below. He says Lola Wines is taking the Albariño and Hourglass Winery is taking some of the reds.

Solares believes in calculated risk, having come from the tech world before acquiring his vineyard property. He was not overly hesitant to try the unorthodox dual trellis. “We decided together to take a leap of faith. If it didn’t work out, I would still have the Cabernet. It was a risk but it wasn’t a binary risk. It wasn’t an all or nothing. Plus, I drink the Neal Family Vermentino two times a week at Cook restaurant when I am in town. I thought the reward was well worth the risk.”

At least two other Napa vineyards are also lined up for similar conversions. All of them may face some skepticism from winemakers and the wine trade. And there is at least one other challenge: Ag officials are having a difficult time with the concept. Neal says he had to do a lot of explaining when first filing reports to Napa County about the number of grape acres he owns. Officials had difficulty grasping how a 16-acre vineyard could produce 32 acres of grapes. They better believe it.

This article originally appeared in the June/July 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

In the Shop

Organize and Display Your Wine in Style

Put an exceptional wine selection on display with decorative wine racks of every style, size, and placement for your home.

Shop All Wine Racks

The post This Winemaker’s Trellis Innovation Sequesters Carbon—and Produces Twice the Amount of Grapes appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Images may be worth 1,000 words, but numbers don’t lie: 25% of Mendocino County’s vineyard acres are certified organic (accounting for a third of certified organic vineyards across the Golden State); 1,094 acres are Demeter Biodynamic. Then add on 10,626 acres of certified Fish Friendly Farming and the 8,179 acres certified through California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance…and you start to get the idea.

“Mendocino County’s wine industry has long been at the forefront in terms of conscious viticulture in the United States,” comments Mark Wentworth, proprietor of Wentworth Vineyards. “Whether the ethos of any one particular producer is defined as organic, biodynamic, regenerative or even sustainable—certified or not—as a region the vast majority of producers fit within the broader tapestry of an effort to farm well and honor the land by promoting healthy soils, good groundwater and biodiversity.”

So it is that Mendocino, too, plays a leading role in the revitalization of regenerative agriculture.

You May Also Like: Your Favorite Organic Wine May Not Be ‘Organic’ Anymore

“Because it’s so doable,” says Joseph Brinkley, director of regenerative farming for Bonterra Organic Estates, commenting that the region has one of the most idyllic climates for vinifera, particularly in terms of low pest and disease pressure. “Another piece is that Mendocino had a fair amount of people coming north in that first wave of ‘back to the land’ movement in the ’60s and ’70s. And I’d say most, if not all, were interested in pursuing a way of life that isn’t heavily chemical dependent.”

Indeed, the majority of the region’s 570 vineyards are small family farms, with a median vineyard size of just 14 acres, many of whom live off the land they cultivate.

Firm Foundation

Sarah Bennett calls her Boonville dual dairy farm-vineyard, Pennyroyal Farm, “the next step” in the regenerative foundation her parents laid for her.

Bennett’s parents, Ted Bennett and Deborah Cahn, established Navarro Vineyards in 1973, first as a sheep ranch, planting the first vines in 1974 and transitioning business focus toward grapes and wine. “They lived in the middle of the vineyard—and all that means—and adopted many of the regenerative practices we use today: no synthetic insecticides or herbicides, limited tilling and composting,” says Bennett. Living off the land in the midst of the Navarro watershed, these practices were intuitive—how they farmed directly affected their health as well as that of the surrounding environment.

I’ve been doing this for 25 years. If someone asked me to farm conventionally, I wouldn’t even know how.

Heath Dolan, Dark Hors Farming Co.

After completing her master’s in viticulture and enology at UC Davis in 2005, “I wanted to dive deeper into soil health and sustainable practices, particularly limiting the use of fossil fuels,” says Bennett, who was “blown away” by how much fuel the family was using by not using chemical inputs. She started with a holistic grazing program, significantly reducing tillage throughout both Navarro Vineyards and Pennyroyal. The other advantage of keeping animals on-site year-round, she adds, is the natural “input” they provide. “They make our composting program completely self-sustainable—a closed-loop system.”

Beyond soil health and animal welfare, worker wellness is a big component to regenerative practices. “My parents, back in the early days, were big supporters of creating a healthy workforce,” says Bennett who, like her parents, employs full-time in-house staff with all the expected benefits. “It’s great for me as the second generation in the family business to have grown up with Navarro’s employees’ kids. I pride myself on being an active part of the community and think the social, cultural part of regenerative is hugely important, not just the farming portion.”

You May Also Like: Does Biodynamic Farming Improve Wine? Experts Weigh In

Generational Shifts

“It’s a bit hippie dippy out here…but in a good way,” jokes Michael Frey, head of operations of Mariah Vineyards, referencing that same “back to the land movement” that initially inspired the region-wide regenerative approach to farming.

His wife, Nicole Dooling, second-generation proprietor and farmer whose parents, Dan and Vicki Dooling, established the family estate back in 1979, agrees but adds, “Mendocino is much more diverse in its agriculture, in terms of types of farming, and the vineyards are much more spread out. There’s more space and there’s a lot less chemical drift.” This is particularly true in the Mendocino Ridge sub-AVA, where her family’s Savory Institute Land-to-Market verified regenerative property sits at 2,400 feet elevation.

“Regenerative agriculture is what brought me back home,” says Dooling, who grew up off the grid among 30 acres of vines and today splits her time between working the farm and working as an ER trauma nurse in San Francisco.

You May Also Like: The Ancient Technique That Could Save a Vineyard from Ruin

It was at the 2019 Regenerative Earth Summit where the couple became inspired by regenerative practices—processes, they say, that have been proven to create and enhance a lively ecosystem, a balanced relationship between life above and below ground. “Not that my parents were doing anything wrong,” says Dooling, who notes that their remote location coupled with their fertile timber soils and adequate rainfall has allowed her family to establish and cultivate a dry-farmed (non-irrigated) vineyard. “But it was the idea that we can do things better. That’s what brought me home—this inspiration to learn and to become a better farmer.”

Dooling and Frey have since been instrumental in transitioning the family farm toward fully regenerative practices and achieving their certification. It’s a blessing, they say, to be able to simultaneously learn from Dooling’s parents, who’ve been working the land for the last 40 years while also adding their own learnings from the regenerative agriculture community.

Shifting the “old school” generational mindset was not (is not) without its challenges; there have been back-and-forth conversations about certain practices, such as vine row management and pruning techniques. But, “Regenerative agriculture is all about relationships,” comments Dooling. “My father’s come a long way.”

Any Other Way

“I don’t know any other way to farm. I’ve been doing this for 25 years. If someone asked me to farm conventionally, I wouldn’t even know how,” says fifth-generation grape grower and proprietor of Dark Horse Farming Co. Heath Dolan.

Dolan is the son of the late Paul Dolan, who is famed for his work at Fetzer, cofounder of Truett-Hurst Inc. and a legacy leader in organic, biodynamic and regenerative viticulture.

It’s a bit hippie dippy out here … but in a good way.

Michael Frey, Mariah Vineyards

Remembering his father, Heath comments that when Fetzer first began farming organically in 1987, “people jumped on board,” referring not just to the local community, but the wine industry at large. But, Dolan adds, from his perspective there are actually fewer Mendocino vineyards certified today than in the past. His own property, previously certified both organic and biodynamic, hasn’t held the Demeter certification for the past two years.

“People realize they don’t need the certification, but a lot of those lessons learned about farming better, I think just really stuck,” says Dolan. “And organics logically leads to regenerative. It’s the next natural step. With biodynamics, there’s too much barrier, the voodoo and understanding of it. With regenerative, though…the farming part is easy for a lot of people.” Dark Horse has maintained its CCOF organic certification and is in the process of completing the Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) through the Regenerative Organic Alliance (of which his father was a board member) in time for harvest 2024.

You May Also Like: Regenerative Certifications Are Booming Right Now. Are They Worth It?

Certifications are nice indications, but it’s the back-to-the-land, community mindset that really propels the region forward in its position as a leader in regenerative practices—a region where generations of farmers continue to learn from one another.

“It’s producers like Barra, Frey and Bonterra whose wines and reputations all helped attract me to the area originally when I worked in other industries,” says Mark Wentworth, acknowledging the influence bigger names have had on sustainability efforts throughout the region. “They’ve long sought to do right by the planet and produce delicious wine.”

Bonterra Organic Estates is undoubtedly one of the most influential. The company has a long list of certifications, including organic, BCorp, Climate Neutral and Zero Waste—among others. But Brinkley points to its regenerative organic certification as the true talking point. “When we speak of all those others, some are age-focused; some are business-focused,” he says. “But workers and laborers were never part of the conversation. Now, it’s not just about farming without exploiting the land but also without exploiting animals and people. That’s a critical piece. There’s no way to have a serious impact in farming if we don’t address labor.” Certifying through the ROC gives full transparency in every aspect via the third-party verification process.

Bonterra is the largest certified regenerative viticultural business in the U.S., with 865 certified acres planted to vines. And the company does not take that role lightly. “We don’t want to be the only ones doing this,” says Brinkley, pointing toward the ways in which they help educate the wine community both on an intimate, local level as well as on a larger, national one. In fact, Brinkley has (a few times) pled the regenerative organic case in Washington D.C., in an effort to enhance farmer incentive to move toward this more ecologically sustainable farming technique.

“There’s the individual business need, but then also the bigger need. We all have to start rowing in the same direction. It’s that rising tide idea,” says Brinkley. “If more growers farm this way in Mendocino, then the North Coast, California, the U.S.—the world? Then we all benefit.”

This article originally appeared in the June/July 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

In the Shop

Organize and Display Your Wine in Style

Put an exceptional wine selection on display with decorative wine racks of every style, size, and placement for your home.

Shop All Wine Racks

The post In California’s Greenest AVA, Regenerative Farming Is a Family Business appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.