Edmunds St John "El Jaleo" Red Shake Ridge Ranch Amador County 2021

Edmunds St John "El Jaleo" Red Shake Ridge Ranch Amador County 2021Press 4 Mix Red April May 2026 Direct Press Selection Steve Edmunds is an under sung California wine legend, who began in the 1980's as one of the 'Rhone Rangers' working with Syrah, Mourvedre, Marsanne, and Gamay in California instead of the Bordeaux or Burgundian varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Even in the aughts when I was just starting in wine, Steve was getting trash talked for making wines that were "too French" in California

and 25% Traminer that spends 5-7 days on the skins

but is one of the most common grapes in the Pannonian region

and yet the wine defies most other California stereotypes

Initially I was met with pomelo

sauvage attitude

this is very exciting to drink

and I wasn't shy about telling everyone

Sometimes we come across wines that seem to good too be true

with a bit more extraction and structure

These methods are meant to restore the soils that have been damaged by chemical pesticides

Their six hectares are an outlier in the Obermosel and are a source of heartwarming hope for any lover of underappreciated grapes and wine culture

granitic soils at 2300-2600 feet of elevation