I’d like to introduce all Berserkers to the BerserkerDay 17 Newbies and give you all a chance to look over their websites, check out their biographical information, and peruse the wines they’ll have on offer, all in preparation for the ‘Newbies At Noon’ launch on BerserkerDay 17.
We had the highest number of Newbie hopefuls ever this year—37 in total—and of those, a handful made the cut through our careful vetting and tasting process, headed up by volunteers from Monopole Crü. With this many potential Newbies, the Monopole Crü volunteers had their hands full, but they came through with thoughtful notes and recommendations that helped us identify the standouts while keeping the total group of sellers manageable, somewhere around 100 for the day. I’d encourage any of those tasters who took part to post about the wines you tried—though we do plan to include some of the tasting notes we received in each Newbie’s offer on the day.
Let’s Meet The Newbies!
William Lane Wine Company is two friends, William (Bill) Cassata and Lane Harper, making California wines from varieties that are traditional and native to the Mediterranean islands. Stylistically, our focus is simple: highlight varietal character in a bright, pure, energetic way. We work with thoughtful growers across the state and to make wines that feel alive and, even more importantly, are delicious. Find us on IG @williamlanewineco on at williamlanewine.com
A Russian River Pinot at 13% abv? Yes! I’m Laura Gabriel from Paper Planes. My husband Kyle and I make bright, vibrant Russian River Pinot Noir and rosé, along with lesser-known varietals from Suisun Valley. I grew up in Napa Valley, and we started Paper Planes in 2014 when we lived in LA after many inspiring dinner parties and brewing beer in our closet. Last year, we opened a tasting room along the Napa River called The River Club, which the SF Chronicle named one of the best tasting rooms in Napa Valley. @LauraGabriel @paperplaneswine on IG and paperplaneswine.com
Spur Road Wines is us, Sam and Amanda Buckingham, global winemaking duo who naively took on an abandoned vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills, Sonoma Coast. Over the last five years, we’ve slowly brought it back to life using hand tools, stubbornness, and a few sheep, all with the goal of farming by hand and making expressive, vineyard driven Pinot Noir. @Sam_Buckingham spurroadwines.com IG @spurroadwines
Hey Berserkers – you rock! I’m Trey, one of the partners/winemakers at SOFH and we’re in Walla Walla, WA. We’ve been around since 2007. We make wines with a sense of place and authenticity, wines that have a “voice”. (It helps that we have 3,000 vinyl records in our tasting room.) We love making Syrah and Grenache and Bordeaux varietal wines, and we even make a tiny amount of Riesling and Chardonnay because we grow some damn fine white varietals up here too! I’m always available at Trey@sofhcellars.com. Our website is www.sofhcellars.com and we have a great social media platform on IG @sleightofhandcellars
Hello I’m Matt Perry, the American half of Perry Colin. The French half, Simon Colin, is located in Chassagne-Montrachet. We started a project focusing exclusively on making Oregon Chardonnay from organic, biodynamic, and regenerative vineyards. We are excited to offer the very first allocations for BerserkerDay 17! You can find more info on our website at www.PerryColin.com on IG @PerryColinWines or on WB @Matt_Perry
Hi I’m Cameron Porter, General Manager of Dovecote Estate in Santa Barbara County’s Alisos Canyon AVA. We are stewards of the historic Thompson Vineyard, planted 1989, where we have practiced regenerative organic farming for the last 11 years. We produce vibrant, site-driven Rhone-style wines entirely from estate fruit. @Dovecotewine on social, WB @CamPorter
Rooted in Washington’s Red Mountain AVA, Fidélitas began in a family kitchen in 1982 and has grown into a multi-generational pursuit– crafting bold & balanced Bordeaux varietals that reflect the land we call home. More info: fidelitaswines.com / IG: @fidelitaswines / WB: @greg_giere
Steve Wells here, Director of Awesome at TIme & DIrection! We are based in Walla Walla, WA & make around 1000 cases annually. We focus only on Rhone Valley varietals with lower alcohol/high acid that are designed to be food friendly. Visit us at timeanddirectionwines.com / IG: @timeanddirectionwines Berserker handle: @Steve_Wells
How do you do, fellow Berserkers? This is @Robert_Gomez of Hoquetus Wine Co. (http://www.hoquetuswine.com). I am the winemaker of said tiny winery, made up of me, my wife, Bri, a kid, and one stubborn dog, making hi-fi wines in low-fi ways in the beautiful Walla Walla Valley AVA. Ask me about my time playing Circus music at Madison Square Garden.
Hi, my name is @EllisonW and as a wine industry veteran - previously with RAEN Winery and Bella Oaks - I am excited to share with you wine’s “sober sister”: TEA! I recently launched Susurrus Sparkling Teas, which are bottlings of true Camellia Sinensis tea and equivalents of organic single-origin, single-varietal, old-vine bottlings. Susurrus celebrates the many similarities of tea and wine (history, cultivation, craftsmanship, culinary pairings, conversation, and community) and all the ways in which they pair well together. I hope you enjoy diving into the equally-boundless world of tea!
IG: @susurrusteas
You can’t spell BerserkerDay without Day! I’m @BrianneDay , winemaker and owner of Day Wines. We are a team of nerdling women, exploring the diverse dimensions of Oregon through organically or biodynamically farmed grapes and minimalist winemaking. Think Pinot Meunier, Dolcetto, Syrah (Deux Vert), etc. Find us at DayWines.com or on instagram: @daywines
Nerd out with me at Brianneday@gmail.com or my equally nerdy GM Leyla, Leyla@daywines.com.
Deauratus Wines is a joint venture formed in 2023 by Ex-Ridge Vineyards-Monte Bello winemakers. Eric Baugher (at Ridge from 1994-2021) and Shun Ishikubo (2008-2021) spent two years in Napa Valley before returning to Silicon Valley and starting Deauratus. We use our highly disciplined, minimalist winemaking approach to produce limited size wine lots that speak of their vineyard character and varieties. @B.Eric
My name is Sonja Magdevski - a journalist by training and winemaker by drive, the two professions challenge me to craft timeless stories with each vintage. My goal is to create elegant, transportive wines that elevate cool climate Sta. Rita Hills Rhone varieties to distinction. www.clementinecarterwines.com Wine Berserker: @SonjaMag.
Hi, I’m Kevin Peterson (@Kevin_Peterson), DTC & Hospitality Manager at White Walnut Estate. Owner/Winemaker Chris Mazepink has been a winemaker here in Oregon for 26 years. We are a small team (4 humans, 6 sheep) focused solely on producing benchmark examples of Dundee Hills AVA Chardonnay and Dundee Hills AVA Pinot Noir. https://www.whitewalnutestate.com/
Hello everyone! I’m Lee Fergestrom, owner and winemaker at Fortuity Cellars. My wife Emily & I started our winery in 2016 in the Yakima Valley! We produce 2000 cases annually and focus on Rhône and Bordeaux varietals. We make small lots, obsess over the details, and chase balance, texture, and longevity over flash—wines that demonstrate what’s possible with world-class vineyards and relentless intention. Oh.. and we have a pretty good meet-cute story so check us out! web: fortuitycellars.com / IG: @fortuitycellars / Berserker: LeeF
