Scott Lindstrom-Dake, Thumbprint Cellars

Scott Lindstrom-Dake from Thumbprint Cellars joins Dan Berger and Daedalus Howell on California Wine Country. This is Scott’s first time on the show. Thumbprint Cellars is located in the Petaluma Gap. The first tasting is a 2024 Nouveau, primarily made with Grenache with a little bit of Zin, meant to be served chilled. It has a dark pink color and is a refreshing easy-drinking wine. Dan notices that it is very dry but not soft, either. It has the personality of a red but the structure of a white. This wine also got 50% malolactic fermentation which gives it body but not too much. The fruit flavors are coming from the Grenache. This is the result of carbonic maceration is when you put the whole cluster in without crushing, so every berry is whole when they develop their own fermentation. It’s not meant for aging but for enjoying now. (++++) California Wine Country is brought to you by Deodora Estate Vineyards. Visit Deodora to discover 72 acres in the Petaluma Gap that produce exceptional Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Sip the difference!  (++++) The next wine is the 2021 Passion Valley, which Scott calls their prestige brand. Scott was making wine when he was an art student mostly doing sculpture, so he wanted to call it Sculptured Cellars. But then one evening, his wife handed him a gold pen to customize some labels on the bottles of some of his home made wine. The gold ink leaked from the pen, and he used his thumb to blot the ink. Then he left a gold thumbprint on the bottles. He realized he had a name when people asked for more of “that thumbprint wine.” This Sculptured Cellars wine won a Gold Medal at the North Coast Wine Challenge. It comes from 75-80 year-old Carignan vines, 50%, with another 50% Syrah. It gets a little barrel aging in French oak, about 20% new. The Carignan is grown near the Russian River, so it gets cooler evenings. Dan finds it succulent and mature, ready for further aging. He would serve it slightly chilled, with barbeque. Scott started making wine as a hobby after his wife got him a book about how to make wine in your garage. He thought about what he would want on the label. While staring at wine labels in a store for half an hour, he would read labels. He thought that the information he wanted was lacking. Scott decided it was important to put some information on the label, so the customer has an idea of what’s going on. Scott is making Cabernet Franc, which will be more and more in demand. In Napa valley, it is already more expensive than Cabernet Sauvignon. Dan predicts that its popularity will increase. Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It is not easy to grow. Cabernet Franc is not as difficult to grow. Scott describes winemaking as an art, and the science part is important but secondary. He started by making wine at home. He was lucky to work for a family in Dry Creek Valley who allowed him to make wine there, as part of his compensation. Today his artistic expression comes through his winemaking, instead of sculpture.