Rustic Wines
Posted by: Becky
on Sep 23, 2009 
Rustic Wines
Perhaps one of the best things about small production wineries is the variety in the types of experiences you can have at one. There are those wineries where a wealthy individual purchases his dream wine estate, buys the best equipment, builds the most beautiful building, and hires the best people to make the kind of wine he/she likes. Rudd and Hartwell are examples of this type of winery. The experience at these wineries is elegant, and can be a little surreal, as if for that moment while you are there you get to live that dream with the owners.
But today I wanted to focus on rustic wineries. You can also call them "No Stilettos Allowed" since if you wear your sexy shoes you'll probably either end up breaking a heal or getting stuck in mud. These rustic wineries are almost always family owned - meaning if you visit during harvest, you might get put to work.
I had this experience myself when I visited Palladian last year during harvest. David Mahaffey, co-owner and winemaker, had all his cab grapes in the open top bins. He had us help him do the punch downs before we had the tasting. It was a fascinating experience. David is a teacher, so the entire process was fun and educational.
Chase Cellars and Summit Lake Vineyards have no problem having their guests help out during harvest. Most guests think it's fun and the wineries get a little bit of free labor. In the end everyone is happy.
People often forget that wine is an agricultural product. Hence, vintners are farmers. It's not unusual to be met by a winery owner garbed in dirty boots and dusty jeans...such as at Robinson Family or JR winery in Alexander Valley. They squeeze in tastings while they are out working. It's also not unusual to see livestock - as is the case at Rustridge and Michel Schlumberger.
Some people just own the vineyard, but don't have the winery. They usually aren't open to the public (though Small Lots Big Wines can often arrange a tasting). If you are lucky enough to get a tasting, it's usually a vineyard tour...because that is all they own. This is the case at Pavo , John Tyler Wines, and Muir's Legacy. These are great places to visit during the summer as the tastings often take place outside.
With all the variety that can be found at small wineries, they all tend to have one thing in common, hospitality. Whether you go to the dream estate, the farm, or the vineyard, you will usually receive one-on-one attention and a true appreciation that you took the time to visit and learn about their winery.
Matthiasson Vineyards offers a delightful "Rustic" experience.
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