Small-Batch "Garagistes" Are Punk-Rock Winemakers Who Don't Play by Napa's Rules
ANDY HERMANN
For the last few years, a low-key revolution has been taking hold in California winemaking. After decades of increasingly high-alcohol cabs and syrahs, syrupy-sweet merlots and zinfandels, and overly oaked, buttery chardonnays, a new generation of winemakers is striving for a return to balance and finesse. They are growing new varietals, experimenting with new blends and exploring new techniques in both harvesting and fermentation.