May - Central Valley/Lodi, CA
Collier Creek Wine Co.
Winemaker: Gianni Abate
Gianni grew up on his family's asparagus farm in California’s Central Valley. He attended the University of the Pacific with aspirations of becoming a
pharmacist. After working as a lab technician without a clear career path,
Gianni found himself working in the laboratories of several San Joaquin County wineries. It was in these wine labs that Gianni was exposed to the joys of wine making. This experience sparked his ambition to make world-class wines for the past 25 years.
Wines
ZANTE Sparkling White Zinfandel, NV
2023 Front Coach Chardonnay
2022 Red Wagon Pinot Noir
2022 Gig Rooster Cabernet Sauvignon
June - Sonoma County, CA
Vokel Cellars
Winemaker: Dana Von Sterberg
Vokel Cellars is micro producer based out of Sonoma County. Led by owner and winemaker Dana von Sternberg, the Vokel team produces an extremely limited lineup of wine sourced from boutique vineyards in California. “To craft a truly fine wine, you must let the vineyard speak for itself.”
After serving as CFO for both a Napa and Sonoma wine brand, Dana
decided to leave his role to pursue his love of winemaking, creating the first
Vokel Cellars vintage in 2013. Committing to the project completely, he began
hand-farming a small Pinot Vineyard and leveraged the relationships he
developed through his years in the industry to gain access to other limited-production, boutique vineyards. Vokel Cellars was born from the concept
that the best wines are made in small lots, with vintner oversight through
every step of the process. From the countless hours spent in the vineyard
cultivating the grapes to the time spent hand-numbering each bottle, this brand is truly a labor of love.
Wines
2021 California Pinot Gris
2020 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
2021 Lago di Merlo Dry Creek Valley Malbec
2022 Zoella Vineyard Alexander Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon