Graeser Winery-Semillon

In my other life, I do real estate. Lately I’ve been doing business in Santa Rosa. I find the easiest way to get to Santa Rosa from Napa is to go up Petrified Forest Road. So one day, while going over the hill back into Napa I noticed Graeser Winery. I was hot, tired, and a little grumpy (dealing with foreclosure banks can do that to you), but I decided to stop anyway. What a fortuitous day that turned out to be. First of all, I was very fortunate to be met by Desire. Her easy going style and friendly smile quickly let me know I had made a good stop (actually, everyone was very friendly including Rebecca Ahl and Richard Graeser). As I told her all about Small Lots Big Wines she began pouring me the Graeser line up, beginning with the Semillion. I was very excited about this wine, simply because you don’t see much of it. Volker Eisele and Signorello make a Semillion blend that I’m a fan of, so I was hoping this one would not disappoint. Of course, it did not, nor did any of Graeser ‘s other wines. The wines are what I call “food friendly” with a low alcohol high acid profile.

You don’t see to much Semillon these days, especially in the Napa Valley. Semillon is a Bordeaux varietal that is usually made into a Sauterne (dessert wine). It’s a finicky grape that tends to grow best in the worse conditions. However Richard Graeser, a fan of Bordeaux, knew his good friends, 2 Dog Vineyards, grew some Semillon. A fan of the finicky Bordeaux, Richard was able to work out a deal and has been able to make age worthy, food friendly, delicious Semillon.

Graeser Winery happened by chance. Richard came to Calistoga to help his mother settle her affairs after his father died. Within one month his mother joined his father in death. There he was with a beautiful home and property on Diamond Mountain. The year was 1984. He decided, on a whim, he would plant vineyards because, hey, everyone else was doing that. The first year was not so great, but the second brought Richard awards. That is when this non-trained winemaker realized that wine is made in the vineyard.

At Small Lots Big Wines we can’t say what the vineyard management of 2 Dog Vineyard and Graeser Winery does to make such a great Semillon, but we do know it tastes good in the glass and even better when pairing it with grilled peaches and prosciutto.

Click here to learn more about Graeser in our Winery Directory

Click here for our food and wine pairing with Graeser Semillon