Fourth WINeFare – June 4th, 2022
I attended the recent WINeFare tasting in San Francisco, and wrote a report for the Grape-Nutz.com website. An abbreviated version of the report is below – there are lots more photos plus tasting impressions from 25 producers and importers/distributors here: Fourth WINeFare – June 4th, 2022
Report on the fourth WINeFare wine tasting, held on the afternoon of Saturday June 4th, 2022 at the Haight Street Art Center in San Francisco, California. The focus of the event is on women in the natural wine movement.
WINeFare – the name stands for Women in Natural Wine – was founded in 2018 by Pamela Busch. Pamela is a longtime wine industry veteran. In 1994 she opened Hayes and Vine, one of San Francisco’s first wine bars, and in 2005 she opened CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen, one of the first natural wine venues in the Bay Area. She’s taught at several wine schools, written about wine, and currently runs The Vinguard organization and website. In conjunction with her work in wine, she has long been an advocate for equity and social justice, and the combination of these interests is the primary focus of WINeFare.
Unlike most consumer tasting events, WINeFare does not charge wineries and importers to pour, which helps make it a more inclusive event that even tiny producers pouring their first vintage can afford. As with the 2020 event, tickets for this year’s event sold out, and there was also a silent auction during the tasting, featuring wine selections, gift certificates, and wine-tasting experiences. There were also a number of WINeFare-related tastings at wine shops and wine bars in San Francisco and Oakland in the days leading up to Saturday’s event. Proceeds from WINeFare go to The Vinguard, a 501c3 organization whose mission is to promote a culture in the wine industry centered around ecological farming, belonging, empowerment, and equity.
General Impressions
Just over 40 producers and importers/distributors were on hand to pour wines this year, quite a few more than at the previous event. The event booklet noted that in order to pour, companies “must be at least partially women-owned, and they must play an active role in its management.”
I was able to taste over 90 wines from 28 producers and importers/distributors at this year’s WINeFare. It should be noted that the wines listed in my notes below are by no means the only ones I tasted, but I felt that these were the most noteworthy ones at each table. Producers ranged from some fairly well-established ones to newer ones that have received well-deserved positive press, to little-known – and some brand-new – wineries. In addition to wine, the tasting featured a few ciders, co-ferments, and rice wine, but I passed on those in order to stay more focused.
There were a number of wineries I was familiar with at the tasting, and they were all among my favorites of the afternoon – Carboniste, Donkey & Goat, J. Brix, Lula, Margins, Matthiasson, Raft, Solminer, Tessier, and Two Shepherds. Several producers whose wines I’d never tried before impressed me as well, including Ashanta, Birdhorse, Catch and Release, Onward, and Terah. Of the importers/distributors whose tables I tasted with, my favorites were Floraison Selections, Rock Paper Scissors, and Roni Selects. As with my previous time at WINeFare, it was tough to pick out wines for my “Favorites” list since there were a number of others that were tempting to add, but I had to stop somewhere.
The WINeFare tasting did a great job of showcasing the skill, creativity, and enthusiasm of women in the natural wine movement. It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed discovering so many producers and wines that were new to me. I felt the wines were high quality overall, and more consistent across the board than at some other natural wine tastings I’ve attended. The tasting reinforced my feeling that natural wine should no longer be looked at as a niche market. The best natural wines – including many poured at WINeFare – have a deservedly growing place in the overall wine world. WINeFare as an organization certainly goes far beyond just tasting wines that women in natural wine have produced, but this event is a key part of it and I look forward to attending again next year.
Favorites
Sparkling and Still Whites and Rosés
Ashanta 2021 “Mermejita”
Carboniste 2021 Gomes Vineyard Sparkling Albariño
Catch and Release 2021 “Middle Child” Riesling
Domaine Henri Milan 2019 Brut Rosé (Roni Selects)
Donkey and Goat 2021 “Lily’s Pet Nat” Sparkling Chardonnay
J. Brix 2020 “Limestone + Schist” Old-Vine Chardonnay
Margins 2021 Skin-fermented Chenin Blanc
Onward 2021 Pétillant Naturel Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir
Raft 2021 “Fleur Pour Ma Mère” Rosé
Terah 2021 Clements Hills Vermentino
Solminer 2021 deLanda Vineyard Skin-fermented Grüner Veltliner
Tessier 2021 “Electric Ladyland”
Vigna Nica 2020 Mamertino Bianco (Rock Paper Scissors)
Sparkling and Still Reds
Birdhorse 2021 Suisun Valley Valdiguié
Donkey & Goat 2021 “Skinny Dip” Grenache
Domaine de Sérol 2020 “Eclat de Granite” (Floraison Selections)
J. Brix 2020 “La Belle Rêveuse” Syrah
Lula 2021 “Table Talk” Mourvèdre
Margins 2021 “Neutral Oak Hotel”
Matthiasson 2020 Matthiasson Vineyard Refosco
Raft 2019 Weed Farm Syrah
Tessier 2021 Siletto Vineyard Mourtaou
Two Shepherds 2021 “Bucking Luna”
Two Shepherds 2021 “Wiley” Carbonic Carignan
Others of Note
Ashanta 2020 “Huzzah” Sparkling Colombard
Ashanta 2021 “Resist” Rosado
Birdhorse 2021 Contra Costa Verdelho
Carboniste 2021 Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir
Catch and Release 2020 “Well Rested” Pinot Noir
Christina 2020 Chardonnay (Jenny & François Selections)
Domaine l’Austral 2019 “Manta” (Floraison Selections)
Domaine de Sérol “2020 Turbullent” (Floraison Selections)
Fattoria La Maliosa 2020 “Saturnalia Bianco”
Kortavebis Marani 2020 Chinuri & Saperavi (Roni Selects)
Lula 2021 “Heart of the Valley”
Maison des Plaisances 2021 “Cuvée No. 1”
Margins 2021 Grenache
Matthiasson 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Onward 2021 “Nouveau Style” Zinfandel
Osa Major 2020 Old Vine Carignan
Solminer 2021 “Sunhoney”
Tessier 2021 “Soul Love”
Thomas Niedermeyr 2017 “14” Solaris (Rock Paper Scissors)
Yamachan 2021 Skin-contact Chenin Blanc
Selected Tasting Impressions
I’m posting selected tasting impressions here from just a few of the producers whose wines I tasted at the WINeFare event – notes on 25 producers and importers/distributors I tasted with are in the full Grape-Nutz.com report. The producers below are all ones that I had never tried before, and their wines impressed me.
Ashanta Wines
The grandparents of Chenoa Ashton-Lewis planted a vineyard on Sonoma Mountain in the early 1970s and her family has been involved with wine ever since. She and Will Basanta made their first wine in 2019 and launched Ashanta Wines the following year. They make their wines in Sebastopol. The 2020 “Huzzah” Sparkling Colombard, sourced from Solano County Green Valley and just disgorged the previous day, featured apple and pear fruit, a lightly sparkling mouthfeel, and a clean dry finish. The 2021 “Mermejita” is a Marsanne-Viognier co-fermented for one week on the skins, from a vineyard only five miles from Mexico in California’s South Coast wine region – this had stone fruit and floral aromas with savory undertones, medium weight, and a touch of chalky tannin on the finish. The 2021 “Resist” Rosado, a Syrah-Mourvèdre co-ferment sourced from the Templeton Gap area of Paso Robles, was savory, with cherry and earth notes, nice texture, and a lively finish.
Will Basanta and Chenoa Ashton-Lewis of Ashanta Wines
Birdhorse Wines
Established in 2018, Birdhorse is the label of Corinne Rich and Katie Rouse. Both have worked at a number of wineries in the US and abroad, and in addition to Birdhorse they have day jobs as assistant winemakers, each at highly-regarded wineries in Sonoma. Corinne poured me the Birdhorse wines at the tasting. The 2021 Contra Costa Verdelho came from Avina Vineyard, close to the San Joaquin River delta near Knightsen – this featured bright green apple and citrus aromas with floral notes, medium-light texture, and crisp acidity on the finish. The 2021 Suisun Valley Valdiguié, sourced from 40-year old vines and fermented with 30% whole clusters, had lots of upfront berry fruit along with spice and floral aromas and savory undertones, with a lively mouthfeel and finish.
Corinne Rich of Birdhorse Wines
Catch and Release Wines
Monica Varriale and Beno Stewart started Catch and Release in 2018, with their first commercial vintage the following year. The wines are made in Napa. The 2021 “Middle Child” Riesling from Gustafson Vineyard in Alexander Valley was made with some skin contact, and displayed a savory note along with citrus and floral aromas and a lively mouthfeel. The 2020 “Lover Girl” Pinot Gris came from Filigreen Farm in Anderson Valley, and was whole-cluster pressed and aged in neutral oak – this had stone fruit and spice on the nose with medium-light weight and a fresh finish. Monica poured two contrasting Pinot Noirs, both sourced from Filigreen Farm – both were nice, and my favorite of the two was the 2020 “Well Rested” Pinot Noir. Mostly from Dijon clones, fermented with 50% whole clusters, and aged in neutral oak for 18 months, this had upfront fruit aromas along with earth, leather, and forest floor, medium body with good structure and moderate tannins.
Monica Varriale of Catch and Release Wines
Onward Wines
Owner/winemaker Faith Armstrong established her Onward Wines label in 2009. The Onward wines are focused on single vineyard sources, while wines from her companion Farmstrong Wines label are blends. The 2021 Pétillant Naturel Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir comes from Hawkeye Ranch in Redwood Valley, and displayed strawberry and stone fruit aromas with floral notes, fine bubbles, and a crisp clean finish. The 2020 Johnson Family Ranch Chardonnay from Mendocino County was aged in neutral oak – this had subdued pear and floral notes on the nose, medium texture on the palate, and a slightly chalky character on the finish. The 2021 “Nouveau Style” Zinfandel featured lots of upfront berry fruit with herbal undertones, and juicy acidity, a fun and fresh chillable red.
Faith Armstrong of Onward Wines
Terah Wines
A certified sommelier as well as a winemaker, Terah Bajjalieh worked in the restaurant business, wine education, and over a dozen winegrape harvests in California, Oregon, France, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand. She launched her wine label in 2020. All of her wines were nice, with two that I thought were particular highlights. The 2021 Pétillant Naturel is from 50% each Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced from Santa Clara Valley – this featured bright red fruit and stone fruit aromas with good texture and a long clean finish. The 2021 Clements Hills Vermentino, from Bench Vineyard in the hilly eastern part of Lodi, had upfront citrus and herb notes with touches of flowers and stony minerals, with a vibrant mouthfeel and finish.
Terah Bajjalieh of Terah Wines