Garagiste Wines in California

“Garagiste” was a popular term not long ago to describe a crazy, passionate winemaker making small amounts of hand-made wines working within her or his garage-sized location.

Several appeared in and around St. Emilion in the 1990s to challenge the old guard, to oppose uniformity of style, and to add a highly personal signature to their wine.

My first encounter with such a wine was labeled “Le Dome” and only 200 cases were made a year. It was atypical and spectacular.

Winemaking for a St. Emilion garagiste was literally hands on and was minimalist because the winemaker had minimal equipment available.

With about 90% of California wine controlled by a dozen or so wine companies, and much of the wine on the market tasting the same, we need a few garagistes to shake things up.

But since they don’t have big bucks to build showcase wineries, they aren’t likely to be discovered by the big reviewers.

The regions where some garagistes may be working are in places like the Sierra Foothills, Lodi, and Paso Robles.

In fact, you could experience the 7th Annual Paso Robles Garagiste Festival from Nov 10-12 and meet 20 or so self-proclaimed garagistes.

But, by luck I recently found one that fits the description perfectly. Found him in a hole in the wall tasting room in Clarksburg. Open from Noon to 4:00 3 days a week, the tasting room is back in a far corner of the Old Sugar Mill facility.

Matt Powell is his name, and he makes wines from Lodi fruit under his

Draconis label. As he explained, he works out of rented space in another winery, and his goal is to make wines with subtlety and finesse from Lodi grown Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Syrah.

Only 100-150 cases of each wine is made annually which qualifies him as a garagiste. By studying winemaking in France’s Burgundy and applying that knowledge to Lodi grapes makes him a crazy, passionate, singular winemaker.

As for the wines, to someone who is not a big fan of Zinfandel, finding most to be one-dimensional and heavy-handed, Powell’s two versions are out of the ordinary.

His 2014 “French Style” Zinfandel, so named for being aged in French oak, was rich, unctuous, with subtle layers of oak spice and lively fruit. Harmonious!

The companion, named “Dark Style” Zinfandel, was rich and full flavored, but also a complete wine from beginning to end.

And to this big fan of Petite Sirah, Powell’s 2014  Draconis hits the bullseye. It is dark, mouth filling, round, with a long finish. Not a streak of hotness, not a rough edge anyway.

We also tasted a Draconis Viognier from Lodi that was close to stunning. Powell said it was about 16% alcohol, but somehow did not come across as that powerful. It was fragrant and full bodied.

The Zin and Petite sell for about $50 a bottle, not cheap by any means. You can purchase them at The Old Sugar Mill, 35265 Willow Avenue, Clarksburg, CA 95612.

You can buy them on the website which is, not surprisingly, poorly done and barely functional. Wines are available is 3,6 or 12 bottle allotments.

Discounts? Dont even ask.