Varietal: Red Blend
Crosshatch Winery Whitehall Lane
For more than four decades, Whitehall Lane Winery has graced Highway 29 on the outskirts of St. Helena. For half of those years, the winery has been run by the Leonardi family, which previously founded the iconic Napa Valley Wine Exchange. Today, Whitehall Lane operations are overseen by daughter Katie Leonardi, along with her brother Tom. With eight strategic vineyard holdings in the St. Helena, Rutherford, and Oak Knoll appellations, as well as across the county line in Sonoma, Whitehall Lane produces a wide range of wines from quality grapes. The winery is Certified Napa Green for its sustainability measures, and its dedication to quality has resulted in encore placements on Wine Spectator’s revered “Top 100 Wines” list.
CaryQWhere: Amador County, Sierra Foothills
Who: Cary Quintana is a Miami native of Cuban descent who ran a wine shop for several years before deciding to head West and try her hand at winemaking. She launched her first vintage in 2014, and is now based at an urban crush facility in Berkeley.
Why: Not only is this highly committed winemaker is one to watch, but the site is special. In less than two decades, Ann Kraemer’s Shake Ridge Ranch in the Sierra Foothills has earned a cult following, offering fruit prized by such winemakers as Helen Keplinger, Angela Osborne, and Steve Edmunds. Says Cary:
“What drew me to this place was the fact that it is an extremely thoughtfully curated and organically farmed vineyard made up of 43 acres of very distinct parcels that were designed to best grow each hand selected varietals than Ann Kraemer planted. All the Shake Ridge’s vineyard blocks are noteworthy for their steepness and elevation, as well as the variety of soils. The days are very warm, yet with high elevations we get a nice nighttime cooling effect with temperatures that drop into the low 50’s.”
How:
“I am a minimalist at heart, pretty hands-on and of the philosophy that it all begins in the vineyard. I am of the mind-set of low intervention which encourages true expression and vibrancy I look for. My wines are cofermented, go through ambient fermentation, are unfined and unfiltered and gently racked before bottling.
Harvest arrived for us mid-September 2018 during a beautiful harvest moon, making this the second vintage in a row that we were graced with this beautiful sight during our traditional 4 a.m. harvest. The full moon guided harvest that year lighting the vineyard, and the cool night kept the fruit pristine as we made our journey back to the winery in Berkeley.
The 2018 vintage was cofermented, saw some whole-cluster Mourvedre and was aged in neutral French oak puncheons for 14 months, which rounded off its edges.”
Find 2018 CaryQ GSM for sale here>. For an exclusive, one-time discount for fans of Woman-Owned Wineries, use code WOW20 at checkout.
Melanated Wine Silver Coast Winery Kefi Winery GeodesyWhere: Napa Valley
This stunning site overlooks Lake Hennessey.
In 2020, LNU Lightning Complex Fire started on land adjacent to this site, and was reported by the Sage Ridge Vineyard foreman. With a bit of grace and considerable effort from CalFire and the vineyard team, only part of the vineyard was damaged.
Who: Judy Jordan—the same icon who founded J Vineyard and Winery—launched Geodesy in 2019, working in cooperation with managing partner Kathryn Lindstrom (Peter Michael, Opus One) and winemaker Megan Baccitich (Paul Hobbes).
Why: Not only is this an exquisite wine from a distinctive site, but 100% of its proceeds advance women in agriculture through the Wild Goat Edge program.
Says Judy:
“Geodesy provides scholarships for young women seeking careers in agriculture, along with a multigenerational, culturally diverse network of local women leaders who inspire, guide and open doors for them. The goal is to advance young women and increase their ability to lead and impact the community, carrying on the agricultural legacy in our area.”
Judy Jordan on the wine and its source:
“There is a lot of elevation change and exposure in some of the blocks of this 300 million year-old site, and a huge diversity in soil structure and micro climate. From above, the vineyard is an intricate patchwork of 50 individual vineyard blocks, each representing its own imprint and terroir.
It’s interesting that wines from Sage Ridge Vineyard show a bit of a valley floor profile, because of the soils’ very old sedimentary parentage that help polish the tannin of the mountain—there are blocks that give us elegant, smooth tannin that is less typical of a mountain site.
Megan implements traditional winemaking with creative touches … Her vision is ethereal, not blockbuster… She looks to achieve phenolically ripe skins that will help deliver concentrated, silky, fine-grained tannins and uses native ferments to enhance site expression. She wants to bottle wines that are youthful and fresh, with long aging potential.”
Learn more about the Wild Goat Edge program for women in agriculture>
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Middle Oak Wines Remy Wines “Three Wives”Where: Oregon and Washington
Who: Remy Drabkin set her sights on the winemaking profession while growing up in McMinnville, the heart of Oregon wine country. She first dabbled in the cellar at age eight. At fourteen, she worked her first grape harvest; soon after, she headed abroad to expand her winemaking horizons. With the influence of prominent Oregon wine industry pioneers as well as Italian vintner friend, Remy developed a decidedly Old World style of winemaking.
Remy is featured in the documentary film “Red, White, and Black” which examines diversity in Oregon wine. Check out the trailer and view the film here>
Why: It’s past Labor Day and we can officially drink the heck out of red blends. “Three Wives” Remy’s Red is a blend of 65% Dolcetto from the Willamette Valley, Oregon; 12.5% Sangiovese from the Red Mountain, Washington; 12.5% Barbera from Wahluke Slope, Washington; and 10% Lagrein from the winery’s estate vineyard in the Dundee Hills. The wine is aged in barrel for 18 months. With just 12 percent alcohol, this wine is light enough to accompany a late summer barbecue, while still packing plenty of flavor.
“I love all things Italian,” explains Remy, “and Lagrein is a smart planting for climate change. With thick skins and an open cluster morphology, there is some inherent mildew resistance and slower ripening. I think our Lagrein and Dolcetto mimic Italian varietals quite well.”
Wondering how “Three Wives” got its name? Remy explains in this short video.
Rusty Hook Winery