Wineries

Slamdance Kooperatieve Wines

480 Marquita Ave Suite A, Paso Robles, CA

Region: Paso Robles

Owner: Daniel Callan

Winemaker: Daniel Callan

About: A native of Virginia, Daniel Callan started his winemaking career in the Commonwealth. After working his first harvest under the guidance of Nate Walsh in 2012, Callan began traveling abroad to seek out winemaking apprenticeships around the New World, working in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Paso Robles, and Chile. Working a furious schedule of 2 or 3 harvests a year, he would rack up 20 vintages in half as many years, learning from Chris Alheit, Pedro Parra, and Raj Parr. The Covid years brought his travels to an abrupt end and Callan, settling in Paso Robles, California, would turn his attention to his own project. Inspired by the “California Burgundy” wines of Pre-Prohibition (a tradition continued up through the 1970s by legendary producers like BV), Callan sought to resurrect a forgotten style that hearkens back to California’s earliest winemaking traditions. The wine is built around the old workhorse grapes of premodern California, often misidentified and sometimes now existing only in California: Napa Gamay (aka Valdiguie), Cabernet Pfeffer (Mourtaou), Pinot St George (Negrette), Black Malvoisie (Cinsault), Crabb’s Black Burgundy (Mondeuse Noir), Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and others. All the genetic material has been in California since before Prohibition began, in 1920. The winemaking is similarly old-fashioned: whole bunches are thrown into wooden vats, trodden underfoot to release juice, fermented with wild yeast, and no additions to the must. Punchdowns are done by hand and the only machinery used is a basket press. The wine is racked by gravity and respectfully sulfured before bottling.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? The Mission Vine (aka Listan Prieto)

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? While working harvest in South Africa, where I got to see and work with old bushvine Steen (Chenin Blanc), Groendruif (Semillon), and Hermityk (Cinsault).

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? The historical and cultural baggage that comes with them.

Starfield Vineyards

2750 Jacquier Road, Placerville, CA 95667
www.starfieldvineyards.com

Region: El Dorado

Owner: Tom Sinton & Rob Sinton

Winemaker: Rob Sinton

About: Starfield Vineyards is an estate vineyard and winery in El Dorado, halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe — on the Highway 50 corridor near Placerville. We specialize in mountain-grown Rhone and Italian varietals, and strive to produce wines that capture the vibrant aromas and textures of mountain fruit, with it’s bright acidity and Sierra spice. Our high elevation vineyards, steep hillsides and surrounding forest allow these aromatic varieties to develop distinctive and classic wines.

What is your favorite forgotten grape? Cinsaut

What was your first experience with a forgotten grape? Producing our first amazing Cinsaut in 2016

What do you love most about the forgotten grapes? We love the challenge of growing grapes that few California viticulturists are familiar with, for which there’s absolutely no playbook, and learning to evolve our winemaking techniques to develop the special character of each variety while expressing the terroir of our mountain vineyards.

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.

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!