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Tansy

6450 1st St., Forestville, CA 95436
tansywines.com

Region:  Sonoma

Owner: Kitty Oestlien and Shelley Lindgren

Winemaker: Megan Glaab

About: Kitty Oestlien and Shelley Lindgren founded Tansy Wines in 2020 with friendship and camaraderie at the core, and haven’t looked back. It started with a conversation around a table at Shelley’s A16 restaurant, known for introducing southern Italian wines to diners. They talked about how well these varietals grow in California, and what an incredible adventure it would be to make these wines themselves.

As they started down the path, they also saw an opportunity to create a modern wine brand, one that is owned by women, made by women, and is synonymous with the things they hold near and dear—community, organic, and sustainable farming, and sitting around a table. They’re still building that vision, and thank you for joining them on the journey.

What is your favorite forgotten grape?

Shelley – Ruche is small percentage of what is in our Field Blend but, its lavender and floral aromatics are the first notion that there is something wonderful and magical happening unique to its small production in Italy and even smaller in California.

Kitty – Too hard to choose. We love Fiano.

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape?

Shelley – Being an Italian-focused sommelier, there is a world of forgotten grapes being rediscovered and enjoyed more than ever before. With such a deep history of viticulture and agriculture – including grapes as a big part of economy and culture, wine is preserved as a part of local lifestyle and important to the heritage and history of Italians. Many of the Italian grapes were planted in the late 1800’s in California and currently having a resurgence.

Kitty – Years ago I remember that I was dining at A16 and I felt like a Chablis, so Shelley Lindgren recommended a Sicilian Carricante. Wow, DELICIOUS. This changed my perspective on white grape varietals, for the better.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? 

Shelley – Forgotten grapes tell their story of survival and journey of where they originated and what life was like during its journey mostly through Europe to the New World.

Kitty – I love how well well they pair with the locally farmed fruits, vegetables, and meats that are available in California. Napa and parts of Somona have climates that mimics parts of Italy so the pairings are a perfect! I also love to the history and origins of these grapes. It’s a great way to learn more about the world!

Thacher Winery and Vineyard

8355 Vineyard Dr., Paso Robles
thacherwinery.com

Region: Paso Robles

Owner/Winemaker: Sherman Thacher

About: Our mission is to grow unique, and food-friendly wines that purely express the terroirs we farm throughout the Central Coast. We strive to make elegant wines with more nuances than sheer power.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Cinsault

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? 2015 Cinsault

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? The unique expression that these forgotten grapes can produce.

Trail Marker Wine Co.

1160 Hopper Ave, Santa Rosa CA 95403
www.trailmarkerwineco.com

Region:  Sonoma County

Owners/Winemakers: Drew Huffine and Emily Virgil

About: We’re purists at Trail Marker and Kid Sister. We source fruit from small, yet responsibly farmed and passionately cared for vineyards, anywhere from Mendocino to Santa Cruz. Our traditional winemaking style allows us to make wines that are high acid, low alcohol — well balanced expressions of these uncommon places. They’re wines we like to drink and share, and we think you will too.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Trousseau

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Jura Trousseau

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? That people just taste from a place of pleasure rather than what they THINK the wine should taste like (as is the case with more typical varietals).

Two Shepherds

7763 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492
twoshepherds.com

Region: Sonoma County

Owner: William Allen and Karen Daenen

Winemaker: William Allen

About: Founded in 2010, partners William and Karen craft natural wines organically farmed, from leased vineyard row contracts. They also organically & regeneratively farm Grenache Gris and Noir on their small farm, alongside their adorable mini donkeys and goats.

Wines are made in their own facility, from unusual varietals, like Picpoul, Pinot Meunier, and more. Nicknamed “the insane master of small lots” William guides ~15-20 unique wines a year ranging from 25-400 case lots.

Wines are vinified with native yeast, small bin fermentations, neutral oak, and a small amount of SO2. Their light-handed approach, and reputation for unflawed wines has been heralded by the press, with articles in the NY Times, Washington Post, SF Chronicle, Sonoma Magazine and more.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Trousseau Gris

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Discovering Trousseau Gris was planted across the street from my farm.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? 93% of the wine made in the North Coast of CA is from 7 varieties. Let’s embrace diversity.

The Blending Lab

5151 w. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90016
https://www.thewineblendinglab.com

Region: Los Angeles and Paso Robles

Owner: Michael Keller

About: The Blending Lab is an urban winery with locations in Paso Robles and Los Angeles.

The owners believe that wine is a very personal experience and that drinking wine should be FUN for everyone regardless of their knowledge and preferences. In addition to more traditional tasting flights, The Blending Lab offers a unique opportunity for customers to learn more about making & blending wine in our regularly scheduled wine blending classes. Become a winemaker for the day and make your own wine blend at The Blending Lab Los Angeles or Paso Robles.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Current grape crush Touriga Nacional & Cinsault

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? It was Pinotage! I was 18 and in school (college) in Switzerland exploring a local wine shop and found an African wine.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? Discussing them in wine blending classes and opening up their minds as wine consumers to new experiences!

Tres Sabores Winery

PO 238, Rutherford CA 94573
www.tressabores.com

Region: Rutherford, Napa Valley

Owner: Julie Johnson

Winemakers: Julie Johnson (aka Picpoul Blanc) and Jon Engelskirger (aka St Laurent)

About: Distinctive, truly enticing, and unconventional. A “hidden gem” in the Napa Valley.

Tres Sabores is nestled into the western hills of Rutherford, where winemaker and owner, Julie Johnson, and her family have lived since 1987. Elegant Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignons are crafted from the 50 year-old, dry-farmed, organically certified estate vineyards. Petite Sirah, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet Franc, St. Laurent, and Picpoul blanc are sourced from other exceptional vineyards in the Napa Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Carneros, and Sierra Foothills appellations.

Our goal is to delight our customers by creating a tantalizing array of both single vineyard selections and blends for our portfolio. We craft wines to broaden your own sensory “perspective” as well as to deepen your personal enjoyment of wine.

Regenerative, climate-wise farming practices promote soil health (and win equality!) Plantings of pomegranates, Meyer lemons, century-old olives, hedge rows, and cover crops provide a wonderfully diverse setting where native birds, hawks, and beneficial insects flourish. A small herd of sheep (the best mowers!) and a flock of guinea fowl contribute mightily to the sustainability of the farm; we are passionate stewards of the land.

We celebrate and respect the roots of our community, not to mention the skilled work that goes into cultivating each bottle of wine. Indeed, the song “Sabor a Mi” provided the inspiration for Tres Sabores, inviting one to taste the “Three Savory Flavors” in every glass: the vine, the terroir, and the spirit that good company brings to every table

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Well, personally, I think that when it comes to the Napa Valley, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah are very forgotten grapes (down from > 50% to < 3% of acreage). The balance of grapes are being rediscovered. St Laurent is key.

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? My husband (winemaker, Jon Engelskirger) showed up at the winery one September night in 2014 hauling seven tons of St Laurent from the Ricci Vineyard in Los Carneros. (“Surprise”!!) He unloaded the bins and held a séance to decide what to do with them. (We’ve loved the results over the years and still make what is roughly 10-15% of the St Laurent in CA).

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? “forgotten grapes” are often varieties developed over the centuries by (local) vignerons, cooperatives, monasteries, etc. that for some reason they never made it to “big time” –to our detriment! Now, as the best of these varieties are being rediscovered, planted, and made into wine, people are discovering the delights of varietal diversity. These grapes celebrate the heritage of the communities and people who developed them, diverse grape varieties propel vineyards into a place of more sustainability, varietal diversity piques the curiosity and interest of consumers. These are grapes that that help to highlight the past by moving everyone into the future.

Unti Vineyards

4202 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, CA
www.untivineyards.com

Region: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County

Owner: Mick, George and Linda Unti

Winemaker: Jason Valenti

About: Unti is a family owned estate with 60-acres of organically-farmed Italian and Rhone varieties ideally suited to our Mediterranean climate in the Dry Creek Valley.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Vermentino, Sangiovese, Aglianico, Montepulciano

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Sangiovese in the late 1990’s and Grenache, Barbera, Vermentino in early 2000’s.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? They are ideally suited to our climate because they are native to the Mediterranean-which results in terroir-driven wines with balance. They are easy to make into interestng wines using traditional artisan winemaking methods.

Vega Vineyard and Farm

9496 Santa Rosa Road, Santa Ynez, CA
www.vegavineyardandfarm.com

Region: Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County

Owner: Jimmy Loizides

Winemaker: Steve Clifton

About: Beautiful winery and world-class restaurant nestled in the hills of the Santa Ynez Valley with amazing experiences around every corner.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Sagrantino

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? It’s been too long to remember.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? Variety! And greater pairings with food.

Vented Fermentation

1220 Bennett Way, Spc 13, Templeton, CA 93465
www.ventedfermentation.com

Region: Paso Robles

Owner/Winemaker: Mitch McMinn

About: Vented Fermentation is made in Paso Robles, CA and was based on the idea that when filling or emptying a tank, the tank must be “vented” to prevent an explosion or implosion— similar to a juicebox. It also calls out the idea that one should be calm and collected in a cellar, while also remaining creatively open to new ideas.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Picpoul Blanc

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Gewurztraminer was the first forgotten grape I tried, made by one of my favorite wineries, Union Sacre. I first experienced this grape varietal at Sans Liege under Xavier Arnaudin during my first harvest.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? I really enjoy experiencing new and different flavor profiles of forgotten grapes.

Verdad Wine Cellars

4665 Santa Maria Mesa Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93454
verdadandlindquistfamilywines.com

Region: Santa Maria Valley

Owner/Winemaker: Louisa Sawyer Lindquist

About: Specializing in the forgotten Iberian grapes Albariño, Tempranillo, Godello, and Graciano.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Tempranillo

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? First memories include a Pinot Auxerois from an Alsatian producer and Picpoul while I worked at Amagansett Wines & Spirits in 1989. There was an Alicante Bouschet Rosé at Joseph Swan winery in 1992-ish. And in 2008 or 2009, I tried some Loureiro and Louiero blends in Northern Portugal, while visiting wineries near the Galicia border.

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? They make great wines too…they are not forgotten in Spain!