2027 Wineries

The Steven Kent Winery

2245 S. Vasco Rd, Ste C, Livermore, CA 94550
stevenkent.com

Region: Livermore Valley

Owner: Steven and Beth Mirassou

Winemaker: Steven, Beth, and Aidan Mirassou

About: The Steven Kent Winery in the Livermore Valley is the preeminent producer of Cab Franc in the US.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Cabernet Franc, because it is the most alluring, beguiling, delicious, sexy, food-friendly grape…and it is criminally undiscovered.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Though I had known of Cab Franc, tasting Loire Valley versions in 2000 opened my eyes to a whole different way of thinking about winemaking and the most important parts of those (and all) wines. Keep the wines as pure as possible and help to shepherd in the most authentic and inherently valuable qualities each grape contains.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? Bottomless allure and complexity, Cab Franc is the sexiest grape alive.

Tablas Creek Vineyard

9339 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446
tablascreek.com

Region: Paso Robles

Owners: The Haas and Perrin families

Winemaker: Neil Collins

About: Tablas Creek Vineyard, in the Paso Robles Adelaida District, is a pioneer of the American Rhone movement and the first Regenerative Organic Certified™ winery in the world.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? It’s unfair to ask us this! So, let’s go with the two rarest grapes we grow. On the white side Picardan. When we planted our half-acre it increased the world’s footprint by 40%. And on the red side, Vaccarese, where when we bottled it in 2019, we think it was the first 100% Vaccarese from anywhere in the world in 50+ years.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? My first wine tasting memory — the first time I remember tasting a wine and understanding what the adults were talking about — was Gewürztraminer. It really did taste like rose petals, which I thought was so cool.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? They offer an incredible variety of flavors and character, thrive in a variety of climates and soils, and can be remarkably valuable in blends as well as on their own.

Thacher Winery and Vineyard

8355 Vineyard Dr., Paso Robles thacherwinery.com Region: Paso Robles Owner/Winemaker: Sherman Thacher About: Our mission is to grow unique, and food-friendly wines that purely express the terroirs we farm throughout the Central Coast. We strive to make elegant wines with more nuances than sheer power. What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Cinsault What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? 2015 Cinsault What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? The unique expression that these forgotten grapes can produce.

Ulloa Cellars

2915 Union Rd. Suite C, Paso Robles, CA 93446 ulloacellars.com Region: Paso Robles Owner: Nancy Ulloa Winemaker: Nancy Ulloa About: Ulloa Cellars is a Latina Winemaker-owned brand based in Paso Robles, specializing in the production of obscure white wines made with intention and a little bit of magic. Nancy began her winemaking journey in 2019 with the creation of her Baby Grüner, a Grüner Veltliner sourced from the historic Paragon Vineyard in Edna Valley. Baby Grüner has become her signature wine and holds a very special place in her heart. The growth of her brand is reflected in the expansion of her production now including 8 obscure varieties such as Picpoul Blanc, Vermentino, Verdejo, and Sémillon, amongst others. Nancy also recently launched a sister brand called “The Witch & The Warlock” with her Husband, Tim Small, focusing on obscure reds including Tannat, Gamay, and Sangiovese. Nancy’s wines have captured the hearts of many, not only because of how special the varieties she works with are, but because she uses spiritual and metaphysical methods to infuse her wines energetically. She utilizes tools such as Sanskrit Mantra chanting, positive affirmations, Goddess energy, and Crystal Healing. She also offers Wine & Crystal Pairings for $11.11 in her Paso Robles tasting room, in which she teaches her guests different ways to use the crystals and other healing methods to empower them to find sustainable ways to enhance their lives and take care of their mental health. After the tasting, you take the crystals home with you! The self proclaimed “Wine Witch” has drawn attention from major publications such as Wine Enthusiast (She was recognized as on of Wine Enthusiasts’ 2025 Future 40 Honorees), Wine Business Monthly, and the LA Times due to her energetic wine infusion techniques, as well as her unique approach to building her brand using her personality, proud Latina heritage and unapologetic femininity. Nancy’s contagious positive vibes and her mystical wine babies will undoubtedly bring joy and a little bit of magic to your life. What is your favorite undiscovered grape? My favorite undiscovered grape to work with is Grüner Veltliner, not because it is the first wine baby I produced, but because when grown in California, it can create a full-bodied, complex, savory wine that can turn Red Wine Drinkers into White Wine Lovers. What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? The catalyst for my obsession with obscure whites was Picpoul Blanc. It tasted like nothing I had tasted before, and it really was my “A-ha” moment for the direction I wanted to pursue as a winemaker. The textures, acidity, and complexity were incredible, and that was a turning point in my search for sensory experiences through discovering all the unusual varieties grown in the Central Coast. What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? I love the fact that you can have a sensory experience that can transport you to places you’ve never been. It opens up the doors to pursuing and trying things you’ve never tried. LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO DRINK CHARDONNAY!

Vino Tahoe | Pansaré Cellars | Amador Heights

15010 Ridge Road Sutter Creek CA 95685
vinotahoe.com

Region: Sierra Foothills AVA ( Amador county wine heritage district)

Owner: Milind Pansaré

Winemaker: Milind Pansaré

About: Vino Tahoe is the only Amador County winery with a certified organic vineyard, producing over 14 varietals, and wines that have won best of class and multiple awards at the SF Chronicle, Sunset International, and Orange County wine competitions. Every wine is made on estate with small lots between 1-4 barrels. Experience our Viognier, Best of class Barbera, Super Tuscan Sangiovese blend, and our award-winning Primitivo/Souzao blend.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Barbera, Souzao, and Viognier

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Making Viognier for the first time in 2024 was a revelation. This grape used in Condrieu primarily tends to be picked over-ripe in California, which makes it a perfume bomb but lacking in weight. We pick ours at 20.5 brix, resulting in a wine that is only 12% alcohol but exhibits orange blossom, flint, and hazelnut and has substantial mid-palate weight.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? Wine is a product of context. By context we mean varietal, weather, soil, and all the traditional definitions of terroir. But context also refers to the context you drink it in. There’s a different wine that’s perfect for each mood, for each food, for each moment. With undiscovered grapes, you get to match the moment with the grape. It’s like having a million musicians in your orchestra to choose from, rather than just the most famous 5. And that’s why we love undiscovered grapes. They widen your horizon, they widen your appreciation of wine, and in fact, they widen your taste.

Wild Rejoice Wine Company

1401 Marina Way S. #280, Richmond, CA 94804
wildrejoice.com

Region: Sacramento/East Bay

Owner: Alice and Michael Valania

Winemaker: Michael Valania

About: Wild Rejoice is a family-run winery, generally ruled by a 5-year-old human who knows more about making wine than most but would rather fly a kite than stomp grapes.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Cinsault

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Visiting many of the amazing wineries in and around the Santa Ynez Valley, the undiscovered grapes are abundant. One of the first we can remember is the variety of Italian varieties at Palmina Wines. Learning about Dolcetto, Vermentino and other Italian grapes being grown in the region was eye-opening.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? Undiscovered grapes are so expressive of place and time. It is so much fun to discover new grapes and figure out where they do well and how they compare across the world.