Perhaps unbeknownst to some, Lake County’s wine scene is bucking trends with the growth of its flagship varieties—Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon—its authentic and warm “come as you are” attitude that draws visitors from both Napa and Sacramento regions, and its pioneering and collaborative spirit among vintners.
Capstone Level 3 graduates proudly represented California Wines at the prestigious Rheingau Gourmet & Wine Festival in Germany, presenting standout selections from five iconic regions. The event highlighted the expertise and global reach of our alumni network.
It is nearly 20 years since Mike Waller first started to work with the late Josh Jensen and what has become the iconic Calera estate in California’s Central Coast wine region. Here he explains what it was like to work with the legendary Jensen and what he has taken from him to continue to make wines in the same consistent style that are now some of the most coveted Californian wines around the world.
Have you ever wondered how we arrived where we have, wine-wise, in California? And yes, while I am old enough to have experienced first-hand considerable amounts of what set the table from the last 1960s on, I am also aware that I do not know every key happening nor all the critical individuals whose pioneering courage, leadership and yes, at times chutzpah, helped shape what we so frequently take for granted today.