The Garagiste Festival is different from other wine festivals. Here are eight things you may not know about us...
No other wine event lets you taste this many varietals and styles all under one roof. Most other wine events focus on a single region or certain varietal (Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Rhones, etc.), but not The Garagiste Festival. This is the widest range of wines available in one place anywhere, including Pinot Noir, Cabernet and anything else you can think of and from all over California - Paso Robles, Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Mendocino, and more….
“At Monochrome, we are focused exclusively on white wines. In 2016, we worked with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, and Albarino. In 2017, we are planning to add Chenin Blanc to that list. We have enjoyed working will all those varieties, and don’t really have a favorite yet. In 2016, the Chardonnay was probably the most fun, as we broke it up into a lot of very small components, and took different approaches with each of them.”
“Patience is a necessity and your patience will be tested. The balance of working with what mother nature hands you and knowing when to allow mother nature to work.” — Joe White
“A large part of what I love about Marin is the obvious maritime influence. I’m competing with cows, not condos, for my patch of ground.” — Stewart Johnson
Being small means you know every vine, every grape cluster that goes into the wine. We do it all, from the ground up. We planted the vines, grow the grapes, ferment into wine age and blend. The wine is truly a piece of us — it’s a personal expression of who we are in a bottle. — Steve Alden
Most of us don't remember the first time we tasted wine. Those of us who have been drinking it a long time would most likely be horrified if we re-tried that first sip. Perhaps it was Boone's Farm, Beringer White Zinfandel (guilty) or even a bottle of 2-Buck Chuck. Or maybe you're one of the lucky few who's parents let you try it when you were a kid. (Another reason to love the French and Italians.) Hey, we all have to start somewhere. There's no judgement here. Most likely we don't really recall the wine, because there was nothing about it - besides the way it ultimately made us feel (thanks Alcohol!) - that wowed us. That made us think it was anything special. And then it happened. That one wine that turned your palate upside-down with pleasure, that made you actually THINK about what you were drinking and perhaps for the first time, actually SAVOR it.
What's the big deal about small production? What difference does it make, and who really cares how much wine a winery makes?
We know that "craft beer" has re-shaped the brewing industry, but what does that really mean when a "craft" producer such as Sam Adams makes over 2.5 MILLION BARRELS per year? And garagiste winemakers are making about 60. Not sixty million or sixty thousand. Sixty. Six-0…
We never get tired of tasting our own wine, however, it is important to also taste other wines to keep our palate in tune. Dipping into our inventory is purely a form of quality control!
“Grenache is my favorite. It loves to give. It is big fruited, bright when it’s not overripe, has guts but can be complex, and likes our sunny climate. “ — Dennis Sharpe
Paso Robles is very special to us not only because the climate allows us to grow top quality grapes; but also because Paso is rich with honest and hardworking families. — Enrique Torres
Here's where the story goes: Our first vintage turned out pretty well. We made a barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon, and when that went smoothly, we followed it up with a barrel of Syrah. We learned some lessons (like what to do when your fermentation smells funny, among other things) and yet ended up winning a Gold Medal from the Winemaker Magazine Competition (the largest amateur competition in the country). There was no looking back. We were hooked.
It's all about the great people we have here, our amazing history of being the birthplace of California winemaking, and have you visited Sonoma before? Spend a little time you will understand also. -- Bart Hansen
My friends and I make wine in a garage. Okay, it's a nice garage, and we have an air conditioner in it, but it is still a garage. Sometimes I stand and stare - glass in hand - at the barrels, the blue drums, the kegs, the carboys, and all the other crap we've accumulated over the last three years - and reflect on how we got here.
“Fresh-Cut Garden Hose!” In the documentary Somm, that phrase is used as an aroma descriptor for a wine by one of the Master Sommelier candidates. Really? I don’t know, call me crazy, but I have a hose and a garden and yet would still be challenged to recognize that aroma in a glass, let alone in real life…
It seems once wine captures your heart there’s a sizable, and ever-growing, group of wine lovers who get bit by the wineMAKING bug as well. The Garagiste Festival is proof of that.
You can feel everyone’s passion and I’m just excited to be apart of it. We have such an array of microclimates and awesome farmers. It makes our wines captivating and able to compete with the best. — Bret Urness
