Our Winemaking
We approach winemaking with simplicity as our guiding principle. But simple ain’t easy. Native yeast fermentations, whole clusters often, crushed by foot anytime, aging in neutral oak barrels, little to no additions, unfined and unflitered—no flash, no fluff. Thanks to the mindful farming of the growers we work with who engage in sustainable and organic practices in the vineyard, we can employ these minimalist, old-school techniques because of the high quality grapes they provide us. The end result–wines of energy and freshness and purity. It’s that simple, but it’s not easy.
Our wines are sold on a first-come basis, so we encourage you to join our wine club to receive exclusive access to these limited-production wines while also enjoying preferred pricing and other benefits. Join our wine club here!
2022 FESTA Bianco
Our very first white wine features the northern Italian grape Friulano and comes to us from high in the Sierra Foothills. This refreshing and aromatic bottling is quintessential mountain juice—bright, pretty, and vivacious—a perfect pairing partner for a wide range of foods or your favorite spot outdoors.
The FESTA wines are made to honor Lucia Festa Puppione–the matriarch of the Puppiones in America–who brought her family to Oakland, CA in 1913. It was in her home where husband Pietro made the first family wines in the basement. She was a woman of strength, independence, and kindness. These wines reflect her spirit of celebrating life and tradition.
- 100% Friulano grapes organically farmed
- 100% Foot Tread
- 100% Whole cluster press native yeast fermentation
- Aged 4 months in neutral French oak barrel & stainless steel drums
- Gently filtered for clarity and stability
- 12.5% ABV
2022 FESTA Rosso
A crushable combination of Syrah from the Russian River Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley, and Friulano from the Sierra Foothills, this is a well-rounded chillable red wine built for the warmer months ahead…or just elevating a midweek pizza night. Fruit-forward, fresh, and fun for the palate—chill it or don’t, but definitely enjoy.
The FESTA wines are made to honor Lucia Festa Puppione–the matriarch of the Puppiones in America–who brought her family to Oakland, CA in 1913. It was in her home where husband Pietro made the first family wines in the basement. She was a woman of strength, independence, and kindness. These wines reflect her spirit of celebrating life and tradition.
- 45% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Friulano grapes organically farmed
- 100% Foot Tread
- 100% Whole cluster native yeast fermentation (Syrah)
- 100% Destemmed native yeast fermentation (Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 100% Whole cluster press native yeast fermentation (Friulano)
- Aged 4 months in stainless steel drums
- Bottled unfined & gently filtered
- 12.5% ABV
2021 Volta Cuvée
Gold Medal | 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
In poetry, Volta is the turning point or moment of change–and the year 2021 was certainly that for us and our family winery. By bringing in organically-farmed Grenache and Mourvèdre from the Chalone AVA, we sourced from outside of our native Sonoma County for the first time and blended these with our signature cool-climate Syrah from our Russian River Valley home. With aromatic lift, verve on the palate, and a crystalline purity of fruit, this is a Rhône classic beautifully reimagined in the cooler climes of California.
- 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre grapes organically farmed
- 100% Foot Tread
- 100% Whole cluster native yeast fermentation
- Aged 10 months in neutral French oak barrels
- Bottled unfined & unfiltered
- 13.0% ABV
2020 Soren Cuvée
90 Points | Wine Enthusiast | August 2022
Inspired by a family-favorite wine from Southern France and named for our son, the 2020 Soren Cuvée showcases the strength and style that reflect our boy’s signature traits. Seriously playful and charmingly defiant, this wine’s layered aromatics and rich flavor profile answer the call for a wine built for celebrating anytime.
- 50% Cabernet Sauvignon & 50% Syrah grapes sustainably farmed
- 100% De-stemmed
- Native yeast fermentation
- Aged 8 months in neutral French Oak barrels
- Bottled unfined & unfiltered
- 14.0% ABV
2020 Soren Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2020 Soren Cabernet Sauvignon is the result of what happens when you truly have too much of a good thing. With the remaining gorgeous grapes we had after assembling the Soren Cuvée, we were lucky enough to craft just ONE barrel of this powerful beauty. Freshness, fullness, and finesse highlight our rarest bottling ever.
- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes sustainably farmed
- 100% De-stemmed
- Native yeast fermentation
- Aged 8 months in neutral French Oak barrel
- Bottled unfined & unfiltered
- 14.0% ABV
2018 Ariya Syrah
90 Points | Wine Enthusiast | June 2022
Just as our daughter experimented and tested in her first year, so did we as newly-minted winemakers, deciding to craft the 2018 Ariya Syrah with a decidedly classic approach. The resulting wine displays vivacity and the signature aromas/flavors that make cool-climate Syrah so entrancing.
- 100% Syrah grapes organically farmed
- 100% Foot tread
- 50% Whole-cluster & native yeast fermentation
- Aged 10 months in neutral French Oak barrels
- Bottled unfined & unfiltered
- 12.7% ABV
2017 Ariya Syrah
The grapes for the 2017 Ariya Syrah were actually picked three months before the wine’s namesake entered the world. Immaculate fruit handled with minimal intervention resulted in a wine with an old-world charm that lifts and a depth of flavor that patiently unfolds on the palate.
- 100% Syrah grapes organically farmed
- 100% De-stemmed
- 100% Foot tread & native yeast fermentation
- Aged 10 months in neutral French Oak barrels
- Bottled unfined & unfiltered
- 12.7% ABV