SLO LIFE FebMar 2020

Newlyweds Tyler and Rachel Eck are the type of people who not only
appreciate nature but listen to it. They ride a wave or harvest a grape that
they think will be able to show itself in its best way. This duo makes up
Dunites Wine Company. Their goal is to let the wine run its course with
very little intervention. One of the first steps to doing that is to ferment wine
with wild, or native, yeast. This is a yeast that is on the grape naturally from
the vineyard or just floating around our environment.
This is a crowd-pleaser yeast (along with the wild yeasts that die out at much
lower alcohol levels), which is naturally present on grape skins when they
are picked and brought to the winery. The Ecks chose to use only these wild
yeasts to ferment their wine. They continue to check the wines carefully
and systematically to make sure everything is going well. This approach to
winemaking requires vigilant monitoring.
Alternatively, a winemaker can add yeast to wine to speed up the fermentation
process, which is less risky. Dunites sticks with wild yeast for interesting layers
in flavor. Tasting the 2017 SLO Coast Syrah/Grenache has me wrapped around
its finger with rich blackberry and cherry flavors, yet it is super subtle and
velvety in the mouth. It’s impressive. Find the restaurants Novo, Spoon Trade,
or Farmhouse pouring their wines or get it by the bottle at Wine Sneak (SLO)
or Taste of the Valley (Pismo Beach).
Also on board with this method is Desparada, a small production winery
located in Templeton’s Tin City. Vailia Esh, the winemaker, chooses grapes
from her favorite locations, usually organic and biodynamic. Then she brings
the grapes in and starts experimenting. She may, for
instance, take a Sauvignon Blanc and put it in three
different types of vessels. Though I was there for the
whites, I left in love with the reds. Sackcloth & Ashes
and I locked eyes and left the party together. This
Cabernet blend brought the complexity that the natural
yeasts help create. Make an appointment and try them.
It’s an intimate experience that will leave you with a
good grasp of their wine.
The last winery on my wild journey led me to Center of
Effort. Here, they are firm believers in the idea that the
yeast strains that come from their vineyards are what
makes the wine special—a taste that you will only get
from that little section of the world. It has a complexity
that so many people—expert or not—can appreciate and
let linger on the palate. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but
their Effort Chardonnay is minerally with orange peel
and Bosc pear, and it is a steal for the quality. On the
other end of the spectrum, the Pinot Noir is worth the
reservation in order to have a taste—and the little bitty
snacks offered-up pair perfectly.
All of these winemakers are brave enough to go off-piste
and try less popular techniques for making wine. So get out
your wine map and take a walk on the wild side. SLO LIFE
90 | SLO LIFE MAGAZINE | FEB/MAR 2020