New School Cali

These are the winemakers inspired by the legends: the vignerons of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s who dared to see the coastlines and valleys and mountains of the American west for what they were: incredible land waiting for the right person to come along and coax delicious wine from their soils. Fads didn’t sway wineries like Heitz, Hirsch, Corison, and Ridge. Through the last half a century or more, they stayed the course, encouraged by the knowledge that what they are making is built to last. They are pillars of California wine country, and of the California we know and love. And they inspired a new generation to make delicious, honest wine that bucks trends.

The New School of California producers prioritizes quality first. Beginning in the early aughts, they diverged from the commercial wineries of California, which see the vineyard and the winery as separate spheres. They’re just as inspired by Cathy Corison, Heitz, Hirsch, and Ridge as they are by their friends across the pond in Burgundy and the Jura. These are the winemakers continuing to shape California’s legacy.