“The vineyard is located on the land of Pomo natives and we choose a Pomo name to honor the history of the place, Powicana or red clay earth. The label illustration is a rendering of a view of the vineyard.”
– Zoubeida Zajac
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By "taming" these grapes through the act of sustainable viticulture and thoughtful winemaking, we take something that at first might be a bit too rough and wild, and guide it into being an approachable, elegant expression of a small patch of mother earth. — Robert Pintacsi
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My favorite is Pinot Noir, because each vineyard I source from is very different and that expresses itself in each wine. — Rick Davis
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I do everything myself. Every decision and mistake is mine to own. I can experiment creatively, take bigger risks and not have to worry about reporting to anyone but myself. — Alison Thomson
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Small lot winemakers have the opportunity to craft unique wines that speak to people in an authentic way that big brands try to mimic with marketing, but can’t. Passion and enthusiasm come through loud and clear when small winemakers talk and customers feel it. — Patrick Kelley
Read More“ My favorite is Tempranillo. The wines are dark, full of tannins, and surprisingly acidic. When young they are fresh and fruity yet when aged have connotations of tobacco and leather. It’s great for blending. It’s very versatile variety and it ripens early!”
– Mark Welch
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“Cab Sauv is my fave as it's the wine that inspired me to start my own label.” — Dusty Nabor
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My Favorite wine to make is Syrah. I love the heady aromatics, black and blue fruit flavors along with the tannic balance derived from the fruit. — Richard Krumwiede
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To paraphrase Forest Gump, pinot noir is the box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. I like working with the same vineyard over several years to learn what changes and what stays the same. — Phillip Kaplan
Read More“Volatus means flight in Latin. My background is not wine but as a Navy pilot. I flew FA-18 Hornets and Super Hornets for the Navy and served two tours as a TOPGUN Instructor. When I started the wine label I wanted something aviation related but not immediately apparent. Over the years we have made the Volatus label more and more about aviation and flight and the branding works very well.”
– Hal Schmitt
Read MoreThe Garagiste Festival is different from other wine festivals. Here are eight things you may not know about us...
No other wine event lets you taste this many varietals and styles all under one roof.
Most other wine events focus on a single region or certain varietal (Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Rhones, etc.), but not The Garagiste Festival. This is the widest range of wines available in one place anywhere, including Pinot Noir, Cabernet and anything else you can think of and from all over California - Paso Robles, Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Mendocino, and more….
I believe that the world’s greatest wines are defined by place as opposed to winemaking manipulation.
— Eric Johnson
Read More“At Monochrome, we are focused exclusively on white wines. In 2016, we worked with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, and Albarino. In 2017, we are planning to add Chenin Blanc to that list. We have enjoyed working will all those varieties, and don’t really have a favorite yet. In 2016, the Chardonnay was probably the most fun, as we broke it up into a lot of very small components, and took different approaches with each of them.”
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“Patience is a necessity and your patience will be tested. The balance of working with what mother nature hands you and knowing when to allow mother nature to work.” — Joe White
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“A large part of what I love about Marin is the obvious maritime influence. I’m competing with cows, not condos, for my patch of ground.” — Stewart Johnson
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Being small means you know every vine, every grape cluster that goes into the wine. We do it all, from the ground up. We planted the vines, grow the grapes, ferment into wine age and blend. The wine is truly a piece of us — it’s a personal expression of who we are in a bottle. — Steve Alden
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Most of us don't remember the first time we tasted wine. Those of us who have been drinking it a long time would most likely be horrified if we re-tried that first sip. Perhaps it was Boone's Farm, Beringer White Zinfandel (guilty) or even a bottle of 2-Buck Chuck. Or maybe you're one of the lucky few who's parents let you try it when you were a kid. (Another reason to love the French and Italians.) Hey, we all have to start somewhere. There's no judgement here. Most likely we don't really recall the wine, because there was nothing about it - besides the way it ultimately made us feel (thanks Alcohol!) - that wowed us. That made us think it was anything special. And then it happened. That one wine that turned your palate upside-down with pleasure, that made you actually THINK about what you were drinking and perhaps for the first time, actually SAVOR it.
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Being a small-lot winery allows for the kind of winemaking control that preserves the flavor and allows complexity. —Ross Rankin
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What's the big deal about small production? What difference does it make, and who really cares how much wine a winery makes?
We know that "craft beer" has re-shaped the brewing industry, but what does that really mean when a "craft" producer such as Sam Adams makes over 2.5 MILLION BARRELS per year? And garagiste winemakers are making about 60. Not sixty million or sixty thousand. Sixty. Six-0…
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