New World, Old Soul
Every wine in this collection has an Old World alter ego. This Pinot Noir drinks with the restraint of red Burgundy; this Syrah channels the savory, peppery power of the Northern Rhône; this Zinfandel shares its DNA with Italy's Primitivo and Croatia's ancient Tribidrag; and the anchor bottle, a Washington Cabernet, carries the graphite and cassis of the Left Bank. Four American bottles, four European souls, and four proofs that "domestic" doesn't mean "different." It means undiscovered.
Lemelson Vineyards, Pinot Noir "Chestnut Hill Vineyard," Chehalem Mountains
"The Burgundian"
Eric Lemelson founded his Willamette Valley estate in 1997 around organic farming and gravity-flow winemaking, the same gentle approach Burgundy's best domaines swear by. Chestnut Hill is one of his coolest sites, perched at 750 to 1,000 feet in the Chehalem Mountains on volcanic Jory clay and wind-blown Laurelwood loess. Native-yeast fermented and aged 15 months in French oak, the 2021 shows dark red cherry, wild raspberry, dried rose, and damp forest floor over fine-grained tannins and bright acidity, a profile any Côte de Nuits fan will recognize.
Pair with: Roast duck with cherry and thyme.
Gramercy Cellars, Syrah, Walla Walla Valley
"The Northern Rhône Twin"
Walla Walla's fractured basalt and wind-blown loess give Syrah the same pepper, smoked meat, and floral perfume that define Côte-Rôtie and Cornas. Gramercy's flagship bottling draws from top sites including Les Collines and Forgotten Hills, with about 80% whole clusters, native yeasts, and 18 months in neutral French oak and puncheons. Wild blueberry, cassis, cured bacon, olive tapenade, lavender, and cracked black pepper ride vibrant acidity, and time in bottle has added real savory depth.
Pair with: Roasted rack of lamb with herbes de Provence.
The Unturned Stone, Zinfandel "Gianoli Ranch," Mendocino Ridge
"The Long-Lost Twin"
Zinfandel isn't as American as it seems. DNA testing traced it to Croatia's ancient Tribidrag, the same grape Italy calls Primitivo. This one comes from Mendocino Ridge, the only non-contiguous AVA in the U.S., where vineyards must sit above 1,200 feet to qualify. Above the Pacific fog line, dry-farmed old vines in fractured sandstone are native-fermented and aged in neutral oak, then bottled unfined and unfiltered. Brambly blackberry, pine needles, crushed granite, and black pepper stay fresh and focused, nothing like the jammy Zins most people know.
Pair with: Braised pork shoulder with fennel and orange.
Latta Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon "Lawrence Vineyard," Royal Slope
"The Left Bank Anchor"
Latta Wines sources this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Lawrence Vineyard, perched above 1,600 feet on fractured basalt in Washington's Royal Slope AVA, where huge day-to-night temperature swings lock in natural acidity. Native-yeast fermented and aged 22 months in French oak, it opens with the classic Left Bank signature of crushed cassis, graphite, pencil shavings, and dried bay leaf before black plum, cedar, and tobacco take over. 96 points from Vinous, with the structure to age 15 to 20 years.
Pair with: Dry-aged ribeye with herb butter.
