I am a big fan of smaller wineries with very involved wine makers. Perfect example is the project I have read about on the board that Roy Piper is starting. I’m a big fan of Myriad (Mike Smith) and Corra (Celia Welch), two different wine makers but these are their own independent ventures. Just wondering if there are others I haven’t heard about. Loved reading the Pinot/Syrah post on “Next Big Thing”.
The Vineyardist is a new one I have come across.
I think Vine Hill Ranch made by Francoise Peschon is the next big thing. Fait Main by Benoit Touquette is the next big thing after that.
You might like to read up on Burly Wines: Burly Wine - The Napa Wine Project The grapes are from the Coombsville AVA just east of Napa. I have met the owner and tasted his wines at the Charlotte Wine and Food Weekend 2010 (coming up again in April) and at a Fayetteville Wine Society Meeting. Of three vintages of the Cabernet Sauvignon I tasted, each one used more new oak than the previous and I liked the earlier vintage with less oak treatment the best (that was the 2004 vintage.) Your preferences may differ.
From a different appellation, but BEDROCK deserves to be mentioned. To me this is one of the most interesting new cab projects I’ve tried.
How about Jeff Ames of Rudius and TOR Kenward (plus a few others)??
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I’m not sure how new they are, but Cathy Corison and Arnot-Roberts.
+1 on TOR.
+2
None of these really seem that new.
I agree, some here have a strange definition of the word “new”.
Hobel. Do a CT search and board search. Lots of positive things said to say the least.
I’m going to second and third Vine Hill Ranch. I was lucky enough to enjoy a bottle of the 09 Cab with Bruce on his front porch. He is a nice man and this is some great wine. He is very excited about the 2010 vintage.
Cathy Corison is anything but new - been around a long time. I truly admire Cathy: she stays true to her philosophy of winegrowing and winemaking, and appears unaffected by the latest trends. More of a pioneer, in my book.
+1 Although TRB is not new it is not his label either. It sure doesn’t hurt having him as your winemaker though.
I heard great things about an unnamed new winery owned by Roy Piper.
Gallicia, Hayfork, Gramercy Cellars, Bookwalter with Claude Gros consulting (2009), Doubleback.
Keep an eye on Chateau Boswell. They’ve hired a new winemaker for the 2012 vintage, Christopher Tynan. Chris was the assistant winemaker at Colgin and his mini side projects have been yummy.
Another is Jason Moore of Modus Operandi, a semi-newby who makes some great wines including a Sauvignon Blanc, the Vicarious Red and the Modus Operandi Cabernet.
Jeff Ames has taken on the wine making for some customers/friends at their new winery venture. The name of the winery is still up in the air (BATF snafu on the name), but we anticipate his first release in the fall or next spring.
If Radius and Tor is any indication of what is to come with the new venture, sign me up.
Randy, keep me posted if you hear.