Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandfather.  A machinist by trade, he sharpened industrial blades for a living.  But the workshop in which he toiled was also a place to tinker, explore, and discover.  In the summer after third grade alone, I watched him build a log splitter, a bike ramp, and a whole-hog rotisserie.  I don’t recall any pig roasts, nor am I certain he had many logs in need of splitting.  But he was a curious man, with a desire to use his skills and experience to see what was possible.

Here at Workshop Cellars, we carry on that tradition.  We tinker, not with machines, but with grapes (although we do employ many nifty machines).  We experiment because, while we know how to make consistently pleasant wines, we’d rather make you sit back and say, “Oh, that’s interesting. I like that.”  The way we get there is by asking questions, by listening, and tasting.  Sometimes we destem the fruit, other times we’ll ferment the clusters whole.  Depending on the fruit, we might cold soak before fermentation, or we may let it rip from day one.  We’re always learning, always paying attention, always seeking more.  Every year is different, every year a new story.  The payoff is sharing it with you.

In addition to our adventures in the cellar, we are also skilled tractor drivers.  We, along with Anastasio Castro, proudly farm the Collins Vineyard in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, from which we source the fruit for many of our wines.  This allows us to maintain quality, farm organic, and put our love into the product from start to finish.  But unlike the trial and error of winemaking, this 86-year-old vineyard is rather set in her ways.  She knows what she’s doing, we’re just here with an assist. 

About Workshop Cellars