Everwild 'Love Potion' 2022

Cabernet Franc & Chardonnay

Sierra Foothills, California.

When Talia and Austin started Everwild in 2020, their intention was to “inspire people to live more slowly and intentionally, to eat, drink, and consume in a way that is good for their bodies and the earth we all inhabit.” They had been in the film industry for close to a decade, and were burnt out. They just “dove in,” says Talia. “We learned through doing.” They began by helping out some of the larger producers at the Richmond Wine Collective while making a few of their own cuvées on the side. Along the way, they have developed their own unique style.

Since they wanted to make free wines without chemical intervention, they knew from the beginning they would need to source pristine fruit. This led them all over California, from Chalone to Mendocino on the Coast, all the way out to Lodi and Gold Country, close to where Talia grew up. Their long-term goal is to develop a more rooted relationship to the area around Nevada City (rapidly becoming ground zero for natty wine in Cali!), setting up a winery near the vines and figuring out a way to transition more of their time and energy to farming.

For a winery so green, I’m persistently amazed by the way their wines balance experimentation with a sense of groundedness. Rather than blending finished wines, they prefer co-fermentation as the stage of experimentation, often mixing direct-pressed wines with macerating grapes, commonly referred to as “infusion method.” This results in wines that feel organically knit and deftly textured. They exist somewhere in the liminal zone between orange, pink and light red. They are a delight to smell and always easy to drink, highlighting acidity, fruit and freshness.

-Ordinaire