At this time last year, I was craving another Thanksgiving dinner to pair for Cabernet Franc Day (#CabFrancDay). Then voilá! Like magic, a Cab Franc from Tessier Winery in Healdsburg, CA, arrives at my doorstep.
Well, not exactly. First, I had to sign up with Lori Budd of Exploring the Wine Glass, creator of #CabFrancDay. Now it’s almost a national holiday – or should be.
Every Dec. 4, Lori gathers bloggers and producers online to celebrate this #morethanablendinggrape. You can join us for a Twitter chat Dec. 4, beginning at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET. Simply follow the #CabFrancDay hashtag.
Back to Tessier and its founder, Michigan native Kristie Tacey.
Please note that while the wine for this post was provided, opinions are my own.
A scientist first
Kristie was a published research scientist who studied protein pathways before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area for a biotechnology career that included work on the Human Genome Project. Eventually, she realized that winemaking was her destiny. After working as operations manager and assistant winemaker at an East Bay winery, she founded Tessier in 2009.
She began her career as a winemaker by handcrafting small lots of Pinot Noir. Then Kristie added Grenache, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir, Riesling, Syrah and Mourvedre. She uses minimal-interventionist winemaking techniques to showcase the fruit and vineyards. Her annual production of wines is only 1,400 cases.
Kristie sources fruit from a network of sustainably minded growers in the Anderson Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Arroyo Seco, and El Dorado foothills of northern California.
Q&A with Kristie Tacey
What impact does being a scientist have on your winemaking?
Every harvest, I treat each wine as a new experiment. It is important to be detail oriented – I write everything down in my lab notebook. Being a scientist makes you set your intention and then observe the outcome.
What do you enjoy the most about being a winemaker?
The people! The growers, other winemakers, restaurant owners and fans are all such passionate people! I love hearing the stories and working together.
On your website you note that French wines from Burgundy and the Loire and Rhone valleys have shaped your winemaking choices. Where/how did you develop your appreciation for French wines?
My appreciation for French wines was enhanced after visiting the Southern Rhone region. I love their approach to winemaking. There is no word in French for winemaker, instead it is about the fruit! Terroir is about where the fruit comes from – the soil, the weather, the age of the vines, the planting and water supply. My brand name is Tessier, which is the original spelling of my last name, and our lineage comes from the Loire Valley.
I’m intrigued by the music pairings on your website. How/why did you choose these selections? Can you give an example of your process?
I taste each of the wines monthly and take notes. Each wine has its own personality that I am trying to express through a song. I also want drinking wine to be more of an experience – taking the time to sit down with friends and open the bottle and select the track.
2019 Cabernet Franc “Drink Deep” – Laura Veirs
The Cab Franc is introspective with a complicated history. In the 2019 harvest the winery in Healdsburg was evacuated with no power, so it was abandoned for several days. I just felt like this song was fitting with its sweet but somber vibe.
You can find all of the song pairings on the website! I also do occasional guest DJ sets of KXSF. Follow instagram @tessierwinery to be in the know.
Do you think your winemaking style and brand have a particular appeal to millennials?
Sure. Especially our blends: Soul Love, Electric Ladyland and Femme Fatale Rose’ and Pet-nat of Rosé which all have cool, graphic labels.
2019 Tessier Winery Camino Alto Cabernet Franc, El Dorado AVA
100% Cabernet Franc
Camino Alto is owned by Ron and Chuck Mansfield, farmers using organic practices in their high-altitude vineyards. Here’s a description of the Camino Alto Vineyard from K&L wine merchants:
“A rolling hilled vineyard set at 2,500 feet in the Sierra Foothills, the volcanic red clay soils in the Camino Alto Vineyard are a sight to see. With crazy diurnal temperatures, the grapes mature in long even fashion. Grape skins thicken by breezes created from constant weather variability adding tannin and structure to the wine.”
Fermented 33% whole cluster using native yeasts, the Tessier Camino Alto Cab Franc is aged in neutral French oak for 16 months.
My tasting notes: Pours a translucent, purplish-red color. Raspberry and violets dominate the nose along with something herby and a touch of fennel. Tingly, medium+ acidity attacks the palate first, followed by raspberry, so much cranberry and an herb blend of thyme and tarragon. Woodsy but not oaky. Finishes long with vanilla and black pepper at the end. Alcohol: 12.2%. Price: $32.
Flavors and light-to-medium weight of this wine make it a perfect pairing for Thanksgiving dinner. Voilá indeed.