Winery Profile- Denner Vineyards

Today, I wanted to let you know about a cool little winery out of California that I will be working with soon. Denner Vineyards is located in Paso Robles, CA, and is the epitome of a "local boy done good" in the wine scene.

The vineyards themselves, owned by the Denner family, were planted in 25 small blocks in 1999. They focus on sustainable agriculture, and minimalistic approaches to fertilization, pest control, and irrigation. The vineyards are planted with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Viognier, Roussanne, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot, and Zinfandel.

The local connection comes through Anthony Yount, who was born locally and grew up in Clayton. He studied his wine stuff at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, and then worked as an intern at Denner. From there, he was the cellar master at Villa Creek under Cris Cherry, and then moved back to Denner where he is the current winemaker. He also makes the Kinero brand, which focuses on off-the-beaten-path whites.

I must say that everything I have tried from this vineyard has been exceptional. I particularly like the Theresa- a white Rhone-style blend, as well as the Dirt Worshipper- a Cote Rotie style blend of Syrah and Viognier.

So, even though these aren't the cheapest wines on the market, if you are fortunate enough to find some in your local store or restaurant, please snag it, drink it, and report back.

Cheers!