Emme Wines, named for winemaker Rosalind Reynold’s grandmother, strives to communicate the importance of sustainable agriculture, low-intervention winemaking, and community. The wines, which shine a bright light on classic California varietals, are an ode to all the hands that were involved — from the growers and field workers to everyone at the winery, and ultimately to the hand that holds the glass. We will sample:

"The Sun Egg" Muscat Vert 2023, Nakai Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County — The Sun Egg is a book by Swedish author Elsa Beskow, about an elf who finds an orange in the woods and was a favorite story of the winemaker as a child. Rosalind has worked with this fruit since 2020, but in all previous harvests the Nakai Vineyard has yielded so little fruit that it made the most sense to use the Muscat for blending. But 2023 offered a slow and mellow ripening season, allowing Nakai to produce enough Muscat to keep the fruit separate for its own cuvée. Fermented in stainless steel and rested in a combination of one concrete egg and neutral oak barrels for six months. This wine is aromatic, with notes of peach, honey, with layers of orange peel. Crisp acidity and an intriguing sweet character. 10.5% ABV. $37/$12.50

"You're Lucky You're So Cute" Zinfandel 2023, Ricetti Vineyard, Redwood Valley Appellation of Mendocino — Zinfandel is a tricky grape to work with, as it ripens much more quickly and more unevenly than the Carignan or Colombard at Ricetti. Rosalind says she errs on the side of picking it early to ensure that the resulting wine retains fresh acidity and a low alcohol content. The grapes were fully foot crushed and placed into a stainless tank. 12% ABV. $32/$10.50

"It's Not a Phase" Merlot 2022, Nakai Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County — Nakai Merlot was the very last fruit to come in for Emme in 2022. Beautifully ripened and with a higher sugar content, the Merlot from this year made for an aromatic wine with warmth and richness from its higher alcohol content. The fruit was foot crushed in tank and left to ferment whole cluster. This wine has spent an additional year aging in bottle before release. Rich and tannic upfront then settles with high-toned wild fruit and mint. 13% ABV. $37/$12.50

See you Friday!