Palomino. Carnelian. Souzao. If you read those words and think, "grape varieties," I applaud you. If, however, the words are unfamiliar, I suggest you get a ticket to The Festival of Forgotten Grapes," James Brock, Mise En Place...
Sure, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are household names, but have you explored Semillon, Cinsault, Teroldego, Nebbiolo, and Marsanne? Enter The Festival of Forgotten Grapes, a vibrant celebration dedicated to the "underdog" varietals that make California wine so uniquely diverse....
Founded on the principle that there are hundreds of unique, unknown, and delicious wine grapes grown in California, despite the fact that just nine grape varieties make up 93% of the total wine production in the state, the Festival of Forgotten Grapes exalts the passionate winemakers and producers of these uncommon wines and introduces wine lovers to a diverse array of wines in a fun, casual, intimate environment....
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" z_index="" side_padding="0"][vc_column width="2/3" css=".vc_custom_1711320642741{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"][vc_column_text css=""] Dry Creek Vineyard [/vc_column_text][social_icons type="circle_social" icon="fa-facebook-f" use_custom_size="no" size="fa-lg" link="https://www.facebook.com/drycreekvineyard" target="_blank" icon_color="#ffffff" background_color="#8b2b7a"][social_icons type="circle_social" icon="fa-instagram" use_custom_size="no" size="fa-lg" link="https://www.instagram.com/drycreekvineyard" target="_blank" icon_color="#ffffff" background_color="#8b2b7a"][vc_column_text css=""]3770 Lambert Bridge Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448 www.drycreekvineyard.com Region: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County Owner: Kim Stare Wallace Winemakers: Tim Bell & Brian Pruett About: Established in 1972 by David S. Stare, Dry Creek Vineyard is Dry Creek Valley’s flagship winery, located in the heart of Sonoma County. Dave’s daughter, Kim Stare Wallace, serves as President, overseeing a successful family winemaking and grape growing business that includes 185 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards. The winery is 100% Certified Sustainable. Dry Creek Vineyard proudly produces a portfolio of critically acclaimed wines that includes Dry Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Meritage blends, as well as a collection of single-vineyard wines. The winery has been proudly producing a Dry Chenin Blanc for over 50 years, and in the fall of 2025, released a Sparkling Chenin Blanc. What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Chenin Blanc because we love the aromatics and flavors as well as its versatility and acidity at lower alcohol levels. What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape?...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text css=""] Madroña [/vc_column_text][social_icons type="circle_social" icon="fa-facebook" use_custom_size="no" size="fa-lg" link="https://www.facebook.com/MadronaVineyards" target="_blank" icon_color="#ffffff" background_color="#8b2b7a"][social_icons type="circle_social" icon="fa-instagram" use_custom_size="no" size="fa-lg" link="https://www.instagram.com/MadronaVineyards" target="_blank" icon_color="#ffffff" background_color="#8b2b7a"][vc_column_text css=""]P.O. Box 454, Camino, CA 95709 www.MadronaVineyards.com Region: El Dorado, Sierra Foothills Owners: Maggie and Paul Bush Winemaker: Paul Bush About: Madroña is a family-owned and operated winery started in 1973. Located in the cooler foothills of the Sierra Nevada (El Dorado), our family pioneered high-elevation grape growing and wine production in California. With 70 acres of naturally farmed grapes (no herbicides, all organic products), sustainability is a driving force for our winery. Our wines are a reflection of the unique volcanic soils and cool climate of our vineyards, with my winemaking style being more hands-off than hands-on. After 50 years, we've learned that our vineyards produce structured and varietally focused wines with good natural acidity, meant to be enjoyed at table with friends and family. What is your favorite undiscovered grape? I would say Nebbiolo. Nebbiolo is so totally unlike any other variety in the world, both in the vineyard and in the winery, that it surprises me every vintage. It's light in color, heavy in structure, bold in the palate yet very elegant in its characters. It's an...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text css=""] Maley Brothers [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=""]549 W. Woodbridge Rd, Lodi Region: Lodi Owners: Todd Maley Winemaker: Todd Maley About: Fifth-generation Lodi grower managing both vineyard and winemaking at Maley Brothers. We farm some of the oldest vines in the region and love sharing these premium wines with people who appreciate the story behind the bottle. What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Vermentino has become a household favorite – my wife loves it as her go-to summer wine. It's refreshing, food-friendly, and performs beautifully in our climate. Hard to beat on a warm Lodi afternoon. What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Carignan. My great-grandfather planted our Carignan vineyard in 1936, so I literally grew up with these vines. Working with fruit from 90-year-old vines that your family planted gives you a different perspective on what "undiscovered" can mean—sometimes it's about rediscovering what's been here all along. What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? The unique stories they carry. Every unfamiliar variety has a history: where it came from, who brought it here, why it survived when others didn't. In our case, those stories connect directly to my family's five generations in Lodi. That's what makes pouring these...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text css=""]St. Amant[/vc_column_text][social_icons type="circle_social" icon="fa-facebook" use_custom_size="no" size="fa-lg" link="https://www.facebook.com/stamantwine/" target="_blank" icon_color="#ffffff" background_color="#8b2b7a"][social_icons type="circle_social" icon="fa-instagram" use_custom_size="no" size="fa-lg" link="https://www.instagram.com/st.amant_wine" target="_blank" icon_color="#ffffff" background_color="#8b2b7a"][vc_column_text css=""]1 Winemaster Way, Bldg. I Lodi, CA 95240 stamantwine.com Region: Lodi Owner: Barbara Spencer Winemaker: Stuart Spencer About: Tim Spencer was a rebel, a troublemaker, an outside-of-the-box thinker. Tim went left when everyone else went right. In the 1970’s, when California was just falling in love with Chardonnay and Cabernet, he planted Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao, Bastardo and other Portuguese varieties. His Vision was simple: Grow world-class port-styled wines in his Amador County vineyard. The first harvest was sold to an equally passionate winemaker that failed to pay for the grapes. Tim, undeterred, took matters into his own hands, and bootlegged several hundred gallons of freshly fermenting wine. He concluded he was quite capable of going broke himself and didn’t need anyone else’s help. That was 1981, and that wine became his very first vintage port. And St. Amant Winery was born! Over the next two decades, Tim became a leading expert, expanding the St. Amant line-up to include dry table wines, white ports, and tawny ports all from traditional Portuguese varieties. When we moved our winery to...
