Winemaker's Notes:
This Rhône blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 40% Syrah, and 20% Grenache is my ode to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. I fell in love with the Southern French wines and their elegance that lacks pretentiousness. This is my California tribute to that timeless style. The wine is berry-forward, but also ladden with spice notes; rich in flavor, but light on the tongue; and chocolaty on the finish without being saccharine. I love the balance of this wine. It is perfect for roast chicken, or lasagne or just a baguette and a hunk of cheese. This wine is bright and beautiful and is one of my pride and joys as a winemaker.
Vineyard:
Shake Ridge Ranch in the Sierra Foothills AVA of Amador County is a special site to say the least. Food & Wine Magazine named it "1 of 5 iconic California vineyards" in 2024. Ann Kraemer's precision farming is a testament to her decades of experience in viticulture. To taste this vineyard is a special treat, which is why it is highlighted across all three wines for the Fall 2026 release.
Cantadora Woman:
Few people leave a mark on a city so profound that generations who never meet them still walk through the spaces they imagined. Roma Guy is one of those rare individuals. A pioneering feminist, LGBTQ+ activist, community organizer, and institution builder, she has spent more than five decades transforming ideals into places, movements, and organizations that continue to shape lives long after their founders have stepped aside.
On her wine label for Cantadora, she is archetyped as “The Champion”. Her wine is vibrant with bold flavors of strawberry, raspberry, cherry, and baking spice notes with a last hint of chocolate on the finish. Her mother, who loved chocolate, would likely approve. When I let Roma know I thought a good name for her wine was “The Champion” she flinched a little. I think because she doesn’t see her work as done. But her extraordinary lifetime of achievement should, by definition, be considered a great big “W”. Her wine is vivacious and bold like her personality and the innumerable accomplishments she has achieved. With those victories came hard-won progress for women and the LQBTQ+ community.
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