Tres Sabores Winery

Tres Sabores Winery

PO 238, Rutherford CA 94573
www.tressabores.com

Region: Rutherford, Napa Valley

Owner: Julie Johnson

Winemakers: Julie Johnson

About:

Tres Sabores is nestled into the western hills of Rutherford where Julie Johnson and Jon Engelskirger make their home and grow dry-farmed, no till, CCOF and Napa Green certified Old Vine Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Pomegranates, Meyer Lemons, and Heritage Olives (and raise Golden Retrievers, Sheep, Goats and Guinea Hens, too!). The estate vineyard has a storied history. Originally planted in the 1890’s, then to pears and walnuts during prohibition, then again to grapes in 1972, wine was produced for Frog’s Leap beginning in 1987 and then for Tres Sabores from 1999 through today.

The adventure into truly “uncharted” territory began in 2014 when, almost (not quite, but almost) on a whim, Jon sourced over half of California’s St Laurent production from Dale Ricci’s vineyards in the Carneros and the magic began. Soon, the serendipity factor really kicked in! A chance meeting with Beckham Vineyards owner and ceramic artist, Andrew Beckham, led to the purchase of Novum Amphora to ferment the St Laurent. An auspicious trip to the Sierra Foothills yielded sources of Picpoul Blanc from “Gold Hill” in El Dorado County. Soon, Tres Sabores was making a range of “newly discovered” varietals including a full range of Rhone Whites, Barbera & Tempranillo from El Dorado County, making amphora fermented and aged St Laurent, and a wildly inventive St Laurent blend “Thinking Cap”. Several ‘careful’ trips to the Willamette for more amphora, countless voyages to and from Apple Hill and Placerville later, the Tres Sabores cellar is full of some marvelous wines.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Julie: “Picpoul blanc”, for it’s amazing tropical aromatics and rich phenolic personality. Jon: “St Laurent“, because it’s one shiny little dot along the long arc of wine on the planet.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? My husband, Jon, showed up at the winery one September night in 2014 hauling seven tons of St Laurent from the Ricci Vineyard (“Surprise”!!). He unloaded the bins and held a séance to decide what to do with them. (We’ve loved the results over the years and still make what is roughly 10-15% of the St Laurent in California).

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? “Undiscovered grapes” are often varieties developed over the centuries by (local) vignerons, cooperatives, monasteries, etc. that for some reason never got a ticket to the ‘big stage’. (To our detriment!) Now, as the best of these cultivars are being rediscovered, planted, and made into wine, we’re reaping the benefits of varietal diversity. These grapes celebrate the heritage of the communities and people who developed them, a broader range of varieties propel vineyards into a place of enhanced sustainability, the spirit of discovering something ‘new’ piques the curiosity and interest of consumers. These are grapes that help to highlight the past by moving everyone into the future.