Winemaker's Notes:
Viognier is a floral wine with robust stone fruit. When it is picked for brightness, like this example, it can boost those aromatics to an almost nectar-like quality. To lend the wine a backbone of minerality, 25% Acacia oak was used in its long barrel aging (21 mo). This wine is dynamic with both lift, body, and rich flavors balanced by an effortless finesse. The Viognier of my dreams. Pairs wonderfully with oysters splashed with a mignonette sauce.
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:
Na Omi Shintani was nominated for "The Illuminator" label by Nancy Hom, as featured on the "The Dream Builder" label. Her work as an artist and activit is formidable in itself but also extremely important in our modern times.
She chose the long-barrel aged Viognier to accompany her image and story. When tasting it we decided it had to be this wine was an excellent accompaniment to oysters. Oysters loom large in Na Omi’s life as a symbol of her history as well as her advocacy for today.
Na Omi has spent much of her life doing something that history often struggles to do: helping people see the human beings behind historical events.
An artist, educator, storyteller, and advocate, Shintani has devoted her creative work to preserving memory, fostering empathy, and illuminating the experiences of children and families who have endured displacement, incarceration, and injustice. Through powerful installations, sculptural works, and community-centered art, she has helped audiences confront difficult chapters of American history—not through statistics or political arguments, but through deeply personal stories that invite connection.
Her advocacy has been particularly significant in drawing attention to the detention and incarceration of children throughout U.S. history. By transforming historical research and family memory into accessible and emotionally resonant artwork, she has helped thousands of people understand the human cost of policies that separated families and confined innocent children. It is this commitment to historical truth, public education, and compassionate advocacy that led to her nomination and recognition for her work.
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