Parea Wines
Get the Dirt from co-owner Shannon Stegner
“Small-lot winemakers are the soul of the industry. We’re the innovators, the romantics, the passion-driven fanatics who move the industry forward.”
What was your first vintage year? Our first vintage was 2021.
How many cases do you make per vintage? We produced 250 cases our first vintage and are excited to be steadily growing; we are expecting approximately 500 cases for our 2022 release.
Do you have a Tasting Room? Not at this time.
Who is your winemaker? Peter Stegner
What wine made you want to become a winemaker/start your own winery?
The first time I tasted René Rostaing’s Côte-Rôtie La Landonne, I was blown away by what was in my glass. The wine was enormously complex and had a depth of flavor I’d never experienced before; but what struck me the most was how alive this wine was. I decided then that winemaking was the only thing I wanted to do, and I aspire to create wines that are even a shadow of what I found in my glass that day.
What varietals do you work with?
We work with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Albariño, and Mencía. While I love working with all those varieties, Chardonnay has my heart. I’ve had the opportunity to learn from some fantastic makers of Chardonnay over the years and have fallen in love with the infinite expressive possibilities of the grape. I plan to continue learning to make world-class Chardonnay for the rest of my life.
What vineyards do you source from?
We source our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from vineyards in the Sonoma Coast AVA, sustainably farmed by our co-founder Lauren Williams and her family. The Riesling comes from Cole Ranch, and we’re thankful for the opportunity to work with fruit from such a superlative site. Our Iberian varieties come from Silvaspoons Vineyard in Lodi, where grower Ron Silva has been championing them for years. We’ve chosen these sites for their climates, their history, their commitments to sustainability, and ultimately because they produce fantastic fruit.
What type of oak treatment do you use?
We use neutral oak vessels because we feel that it allows the true character of the wine to shine bright.
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
One of the things I love most about making wine in Northern California is our access to vineyards with very different climates. We can work with cool climate varieties and warm weather varieties that each come from sites that are perfectly suited to them.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
“Parea” is a Greek word that doesn’t have a great English translation, but basically refers to a group of friends who gather together purely for the enjoyment of one another and to share experiences in life. This wine project emerged from our Parea, evolving into a reality out of years of shared meals, laughs, bottles of wine, and barn-based fermentation projects. Peter and Matthew are childhood friends, and Lauren and I have been their partners in life for many years now. We are a Parea, and we couldn’t be more excited to enjoy this experience together.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about the wine business before you started your own winery?
Not to do it. Oh wait, they did tell us that and we did it anyway.
Most importantly, what's so great about being small? What can you do as a small winemaker, that wouldn't be possible for larger wineries?
We’re really only beholden to ourselves as to the wine we want to make. We have no investors or long-time collectors who have expectations about the wines we’ll make. We get to make wines that speak to us, then find like-minded consumers who want to come on this journey with us.
How do you view the future in the wine industry for small-lot winemakers?
Small-lot winemakers are the soul of the industry. We’re the innovators, the romantics, the passion-driven fanatics who move the industry forward. We tell compelling stories that speak to a new generation of wine drinkers, and I think the future is bright.
If you could choose another wine region to work in what would it be?
The Jura all day. Chardonnay, Savagnin, Pinot Noir, Trousseau, mountains, skiing, and great food. What more could a person ask for?
For more information about Parea Wines, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram.