Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/935769
60 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 maker to fine-tune oxidization levels accordingly depending on what varietal they're working with. "I make a range of wines, from sparkling to Grenache, from Syrah to Pinot and Chardonnay," he says. "With Nomacorc, I can put a whole other level of winemaking into play. The closure I used for my Bordeaux blend is quite different from the one I use for the Grenache; I can open it up a little more." As Davis describes it, "being able to dial it in for expression" with Nomacorc is a substantial plus for the savvy winemaker. The brand's all-natural commitment, however, could be viewed as equally im - portant by winemakers who try to reflect the same approach in their craft. "I farm organically and my winemaking practices are fairly natural, so the fact that Nomacorc is 100 percent plant-based was a big factor in my decision," Davis says. "More importantly, there hasn't been one case where the bottle was oxidized. Not only do we not have TCA, but we haven't had a single flawed closure." At the end of the long winemaking journey, this translates to a better experience for the end consumer who purchases wine for immediate consumption. "The average customer is only going to get one try to experience my wines, so I can't afford cork flaws," Davis says. Collectors also benefit from Nomacorc: "For people who do lay down the wines, their development in bottle really progresses," he adds. "I can follow the wines after bottling." With his heightened confidence level in Nomacorc after such a posi - tive introduction, Davis now distrusts the reliability of traditional cork. "I looked at the research on oxygen ingress; once you went down one level from the very top-quality natural corks, the bandwidth in variability was much larger," he says. "I love the consistency of Nomacorc—of be - ing able to know that the same product will produce the same results." Critics agree not only with his philosophy, but with his winemaking style: Davis Family Vineyards was recently honored with Sonoma County Harvest Fair's Sweepstakes Award for its 2016 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, closed with Nomacorc Select Green. Appealing to a New Generation Michael Cruse of Cruse Wine Company, based in a retrofitted industrial space in Petaluma, was selected as the San Francisco Chronicle's Winemaker of the Year in 2016. An eight-year veteran of Merryvale's Starmont Winery in Carneros, Cruse represents a new generation of Sonoma vintners and is known for his "everything old is new again" approach to winemaking. "I saw some things that weren't being made," explains Cruse on what inspired him to start his own label. Instead of méthode champenoise bubblies, he bottles rustic pét-nat sparklers. On the still wine side, meanwhile, he specializes in Valdiguié; the grape variety was previously known as "Napa Gamay" and was used to make Beaujolais- like California wines. But for all his innovation, Cruse says his winemaking itself is based in established practice. "I'm using traditional California grapes," he adds. Cruse says he wants to catch "the Zeitgeist of light reds" and has some iconoclastic opinions about old-school wine snobbery. "Millennials are agnostic to regions," notes the freewheeling vintner. "They're not going to pay $150 for a Cabernet just because it says Napa Valley on the label. They like things that are good; they like things that are reason - ably affordable." Appealing to this "new generation of wine drinker," Cruse created a red field blend of Valdiguié, Carignan, and Tannat called Monkey Jacket that's sealed with Nomacorc Select Green—a more practical (and affordable) solution than traditional cork. (A monkey jacket is a type of peacoat worn by Newfoundland sailors; at 800 cases, this is Cruse's "volume wine.") Cruse first learned about Nomacorc from vintner Hardy Wallace, owner of cult label Dirty & Rowdy, and decided it was "ideal" to use with Monkey Jacket. He especially ap - preciates "not having to deal with failed corks and TCA," and was also pleased to see he shares the same carbon-neutral "mantra" as the closure's producer. Cruse 2016 Monkey Jacket Red Blend, North Coast ($25) Bright red ripe tart fruit; cherry and cranberry edged in candied orange peel. The nutmeg comes across as a dusty, powdery tannin, all in a medium (just) plus body. Substantial yet more refreshing than rich. —Jessie Birschbach Davis Family Vine - yards 2015 Throne, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County ($42) A blend of 58% Grenache, 28% Syrah, and 14% Mourve - dre, its similarity to a Chateauneuf-du-Pape is apparent. Earthy on the nose, the palate is all bright lights with a searing acidity and tart red fruit. Pome - granate, rhubarb, and spiced nutmeg are on the high notes, with a soil and heather on the low. A great food match. —Meridith May