Welcome to Standing Stone Wine Club for May! This month, we’re celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, highlighting winemakers in California, Oregon, and India.
Camp Sonoma County Chardonnay 2021 by Hobo Wine Co.
Region: Sonoma County, California
Grape: 99% Chardonnay and 1% Vioginier
Hobo Wine Company sources grapes for Camp wines from organic growers in Sonoma County. Based in Santa Rosa, winemaker Kenny Likitprakong ferments this wine without commercial yeasts or additives and ages it in older oak barrels and stainless steel. These practices produce a crisp Chardonnay with hints of lemon and an ideal balance between acidity and creaminess. Enjoy with friends and a great meal.
Featured in: The Taste, Oh So Thirsty
Camp Sonoma County Zinfandel 2021 by Hobo Wine Co.
The Camp Sonoma County Zinfandel is produced from grapes harvested early in the season to prevent overripening. Grapes undergo a gentle pressing, and the juice is aged in stainless steel and older oak to produce a lighter Zinfandel with bright cherry notes. This wine would also be delicious with a slight chill–enjoy with anything from the grill!
Featured in: The Taste
Salem Wine Co. Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills 2020 by Evening Land Vineyards
From winemakers Raj Parr and Sashi Moorman of Evening Land Vineyards, the Salem Wine Company Chardonnay offers a taste of the Eola-Amity Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. This wine undergoes full malolactic fermentation in neutral barrels, producing a rounder mouthfeel without losing freshness. With a bit of a saline finish, this Chardonnay would pair well with oysters or other seafood.
Featured in: The Treat
CEP Rosé of Pinot Noir, Hopkins Ranch, Russian River Valley 2023 by Peay Vineyards
The Pinot Noir for this rosé was hand harvested from the organic Hopkins Ranch Vineyard in the Russian River Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) of California. Peay Vineyards Winemaker Vanessa Wong "employ[s] wine making practices that are minimally manipulative to the grapes during processing and also to the wine during its vinification and barrel aging.” The grapes were whole cluster pressed and fermented in stainless steel tanks with native yeasts.
Cep means vine stock in French, and the bottle itself features a beautiful illustration of trellised vines in the shape of a T. This rosé is crisp and mineral-driven, with notes of cranberry, white tea, and pink peppercorn and a slightly saline finish.
Featured in: The Treat
Sula Vineyards Estate Bottled Sauvignon Blanc, Nashik 2022
If this is your first time trying wine from India, you’re not alone! This fascinating Sauvignon Blanc from Maharashtra offers guava and bell pepper flavors with a light creaminess and doesn’t taste quite like any other Sauvignon Blanc I’ve tried. While it’s made in a New Zealand style, this wine’s flavors and texture stand out as something special and unique—in fact, it’s India’s first ever Sauvignon Blanc.
Rajeev Samant founded Sula Vineyards in the 1990s, after studying and working in California. Sula has since established the Nashik Valley area of Maharashtra state as India’s foremost winegrowing region.Featured in: Oh So Thirsty
Sula Vineyards Estate Bottled Shiraz, Nashik 2023
This medium-bodied Shiraz (aka Syrah) from Maharashtra, India is a beautiful shade of purple with notes of black pepper and smoke. In the wine world, there’s a saying—what grows together, goes together—that highlights how well wines from specific regions pair with the cuisine of the same area. (Think Muscadet and oysters, coq au vin and Burgundy, or Sangiovese with tomato sauce.) While this red would pair well with foods like barbecue or spicy chicken tacos, you could also try some Maharashtrian recipes for a new wine and food experience!
Featured in: Oh So Thirsty
Folk Machine Parts & Labor California Red 2021 by Hobo Wine Co.
A Grenache-dominant blend sourced from multiple vineyards around California's Santa Cruz Mountains, Folk Machine Parts & Labor is a fresh, fruit-forward red that’s ready to enjoy on its own or with food. If you’re a fan of Beaujolais, you’ll love this wine—but it’s also made in a style all its own by winemaker Kenny Likitprakong of Hobo Wine Company. The grapes were fermented with a mix of whole cluster and carbonic maceration, and the wine was aged in a combination of French oak foudres (large barrels) and stainless steel. This is a light, fun wine you could easily serve slightly chilled at any spring or summer gathering.
Featured in: Oh So Thirsty
