April 10th: The New California: A Natural Wine Era
At Vinonueva | 5582 NE 4th Ct, Miami, FL, 33137 | 7:00 pm-8:30 pm
Click HERE to get tickets
In partnership with Alchemy of the Spirit
BACKGROUND
For our upcoming tasting at Vinonueva, we'll dive into California's natural wine movement. This viticultural movement seeks to transition the region and its mindset towards more regenerative farming practices and less intervention in the winemaking process. Key principles like organic viticulture, native yeast fermentation, and minimal SO₂ additions (among other things) define this shift—and form the foundation of what natural wine means today. As part of the tasting, we'll also unpack the term 'natural wine,' addressing the many misconceptions that surround it and offering a clearer, more grounded definition of the genre.
The New California—a name popularized by wine writer Jon Bonné—is reshaping how we understand the region and revealing just how much untapped potential it holds. Today, California stands as one of the most dynamic and innovative natural wine producers.
Inspired by the natural wine movement in France, the New California has emerged at a time when traditional California wine styles have largely fallen out of favor with a new generation of drinkers and winemakers. This generation favors fresher, younger wines with lower alcohol, moving away from the bold, oak-driven profiles long associated with Napa Valley's dominant varietals: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
This tasting is an opportunity to walk away with a deeper appreciation for California wine and a clearer understanding of what defines natural wine today. We'll review some traditional winemaking regions of California that are reimagining their winemaking style, as well as lesser-known areas that are brimming with innovation. It's a great time to drink domestic, especially during this exceptional new chapter in California's wine history that is unfolding right before us!
'So drink with joy—and never let go of your curiosity.'
Jon Bonné, The New Wine Rules
Check out the lineup for this tasting:
Skull Wines - Sparkling 2022
A collaboration between Patrick Cappiello of Monte Rio Cellars and Pax Mahle of Pax wine. Together, they produce only five wines — white, rosé, orange, red, and sparkling. In Monte Rio Cellars fashion, unconventional varietals are vinified using unconventional techniques for a California wine.
Iruai - 'Elphame' Savagnin 2023
Founded in 2013 by Chad and Michelle Hines, Iruai is located among the incredible Shasta-Cascade mountains of Siskiyou County, CA, often cited as the California Alps. As such, Iruai focuses on using exclusively Alpine varietals, which are extremely uncommon in California, and regenerative farming practices that employ permaculture techniques.
Tessier - 'Electric Lady Land' 2023
In 2009, Kristie Tacey founded her namesake winery after leaving her career in biotechnology to pursue winemaking. Kristie focuses on sourcing fruit exclusively from organically farmed, family-owned vineyards, whose sites are the ideal growing place for the varietals she works with.
Monte Rio Cellars - Sangiovese River's Edge Vineyard 2022
Patrick Cappiello is a sommelier-turned-winemaker who moved to California after a successful career in New York City to open Monte Rio Cellars in 2018. These are wines of freshness, meant to be drunk with food and enjoyed in company. Of all the wines Patrick produces,
several are from varietals not commonly found in California, such as this Sangiovese.
Pax Wine - North Coast Syrah 2022
Pax Mahle is a leading figure in the New California Wine, a pioneer of the natural wine movement, and a mentor to dozens of young winemakers. Founded in 2000, these cool-climate, single vineyard Syrahs have given a new life to the classically muscular, brambly
varietal as experienced in other areas of California. These wines channel the spirit of the Northern Rhône to deliver complexity and finesse.
Land of Saints GSM 2022
A collaboration between Angela and Jason Osborne and Manuel Cuevas, located in Santa Barbara, CA. Their wines are clean and pure expressions of classic California terroir produced in a manner that favors the fruit over oak expression.