According to many reports, the American wine industry is struggling. Volume sales are down, small producers are struggling to get by, and grape growers in regions like Lodi and the Central Valley are facing calls to rip out vines.
The full story, however, is much more nuanced, and there are plenty of reasons for optimism. Value sales, for example, are up as more wine drinkers opt for mid-priced and premium products, which has helped some savvy producers successfully weather the storm.
Amidst this backdrop, SevenFifty Daily asked wine professionals from across the country for their top U.S. wine recommendations. From old-vine Zinfandel to summer-friendly chillable reds, these are the American wines worth stocking right now—to both showcase the quality of the category and to help give the American wine industry a much-needed boost. (All wines are listed with price per bottle at the noted establishment.)
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Barmann Cellars Ramato Frizzante 2023, Naches Heights, Washington; $55
Selected by Molly Ringe, owner, Molly’s Bottle Shop, Seattle
At Molly’s Bottle Shop in Seattle, owner Molly Ringe likes to share wines that fit her definition of natural—nothing added, nothing taken away—especially when the bottles show off the high-quality winemaking taking place in her home state of Washington. For Ringe, the wines from Barmann Cellars, made by winemaker Stephanie Barmann, are a perfect example. “I’m loving her Ramato Frizzante from the high-elevation Strand Vineyard nestled in the Naches Heights AVA,” says Ringe. “[It’s] fun and fresh with crunchy red fruit on the palate and notes of raspberry and some juicy pear—a great example of what Washington has to offer.”
Left Foot Charley Kerner 2022, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan; $82
Selected by Sarah Trubnick, cofounder and wine director, The Barrel Room, San Francisco
“Left Foot Charley is a standout winery in northern Michigan,” says Sarah Trubnick, the cofounder and wine director at The Barrel Room, pointing to the winery’s focus on sourcing premium fruit from dedicated farmers across the region. Developed in Germany, the Kerner grape variety, which is a cross between Trollinger and Riesling, is rare in the U.S. “Left Foot Charley’s Kerner is fantastic and very representative of the classic expressions of this grape,” says Trubnick. “To me, this wine embodies the cool-climate style that northern Michigan offers, which is quite distinct from wines produced in most better-known American wine regions. And the quality is stunning.”
Terah Wine Co. ‘Shake Ridge Ranch’ Barbera 2022; Amador County, California; $99
Selected by Melissa Helfand, general manager, The Duck & The Peach, Washington, D.C.
This summer at The Duck & The Peach, “we’ve chosen to highlight bold flavors like compressed melons, fresh heirloom tomatoes, and a refreshing gazpacho,” says Melissa Helfand, the restaurant’s general manager. “My favorite summertime wine pairing would have to be the Barbera from Terah Wine Co.” Winemaker Terah Bajjalieh sources the grapes from Shake Ridge Ranch, an organically farmed vineyard in Amador County, which lends the wine its distinctive flavors. For Helfand, this Barbera “is a perfect example of [Bajjalieh’s] craftsmanship, offering a delightful balance of flavors that enhances our dining experience.”
Scythian Wine Co. ‘Cucamonga Revolution’ Rosé 2023, Cucamonga Valley, California; $85
Selected by Beyza Yildirim, sommelier, Tiya, San Francisco
The Scythian Wine Co., led by winemaker Raj Parr, is reviving southern California’s nearly lost history of viticulture in the Cucamonga Valley, near Los Angeles. “The vineyard, which is over 100 years old, was abandoned long ago,” says Beyza Yildirim, a sommelier at Tiya. “But the grapes survived in the most natural way, through many struggles.” The wine, a blend of 80 percent Zinfandel and 20 percent Palomino, has bright acidity and pretty red fruit flavors, which “makes it a great match for our rich, spicy dishes,” adds Yildirim.
Ashes & Diamonds ‘Rosa, No. 3’ 2022, Napa Valley, California; $110
Selected by Alisha Blackwell-Calvert, wine director, Madrina, Webster Groves, Missouri
The ‘Rosa, No. 3,’ from Ashes & Diamonds, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese, falls somewhere between a deep rosé and a super light red. For Alisha Blackwell-Calvert, the wine director at Madrina, that in-between quality makes the wine incredibly versatile. “I find in my market, what people ask for—it doesn’t matter if they’re having steak or fish—is red wine. So I want to give them something that I’m comfortable will compliment their meal and won’t drown out delicate scallops or halibut.” The lighter, fresher, more fruit-forward profile of the Rosa allows it to play well with everything from seafood to red meat.
Terah Wine Co. Old Vine Grenache 2022, Santa Clara Valley, California; $38
Selected by Lauren Feldman, cofounder, Valley Bar & Bottle, Sonoma, California
Lauren Fledman, a cofounder of Sonoma-based Valley Bar & Bottle, a combination restaurant, wine bar, and bottle shop, has an affinity for Corsican reds. “This Grenache always reminds me of some of my favorites from the island, with vibrant, ripe strawberry and raspberry fruit,” she says. Bajjalieh sources the grapes from over 100-year-old vines from Besson Vineyard, which is farmed by second-generation grower George Besson Jr. in Gilroy and is part of one of the oldest farming communities in the area. The old vines give the wine “incredible tension and purity of fruit,” says Feldman.
Catch & Release Wines ‘Anyone, Anytime, Anyplace’ 2022, California; $55
Selected by Conor McKee, partner, Whoopsie Daisy, Brooklyn, New York
At the newly opened Whoopsie Daisy, a neighborhood wine bar in Brooklyn, partner Conor McKee is leaning into the seasonal vibes with this “chilled red that pairs perfectly with the backyard” from Catch & Release Wines. It blends California-grown red grapes like Syrah and Grenache with a splash of Pinot Gris and Chardonnay to give the wine a light, refreshing quality. “Everyone is asking for chilled reds right now and I feel like, much like our list as a whole, this perfectly straddles clean natural winemaking with some savoriness and juicy red fruit,” says McKee.
Newfound ‘Placida Vineyard’ Chardonnay 2022, Sonoma Coast, California; $135
Selected by Jacob Brown, beverage director, Lazy Bear, San Francisco
“Newfound is fantastic,” says Jacob Brown, the beverage director at Lazy Bear. Started by industry veterans Matt and Audra Naumann, the project focuses on a handful of select high-quality vineyards. Just two barrels of this Chardonnay were produced from Placida Vineyard in Sonoma Valley. “I like it because it challenges the idea of California Chardonnay,” says Brown. “The wine shows a core of crisp Meyer lemon, a touch of cream, and a sea spray of minerality that makes it a perfect pairing for summer.”
Dispatch
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Caitlin A. Miller is a New York-based wine writer and the current associate editor for SevenFifty Daily. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Vinous, and Christie’s International Real Estate Magazine. She holds the WSET Diploma in Wines and was the recipient of the 2020 Vinous Young Wine Writer Fellowship.
