Kale Wines: The Next Chapter

Kale Anderson

I first met winemaker Kale Anderson at a wonderful wine experience hosted by Pahlmeyer Winery, where each participant was charged with crafting their own red blends out of Cabernet, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It was challenging; yet Kale, who was the Director of Winemaking for Pahlmeyer, was there as a resource and guide. His knowledge was very apparent, and his willingness to share with us was a gift. Pahlmeyer was the next step in his journey and expression of the vine.

My first opportunity to experience the fruits of his labor was with the 2008 Cliff Lede Poetry. This wine was offered at auction, and I worked diligently to garner a case. The effort was well worth the investment. It was a beautiful wine. Kale worked at Cliff Lede Vineyards at that time, specifically from 2005 to 2012. He moved from Assistant Winemaker to Associate Winemaker and then to Winemaker. I have written about Kale previously in 2014. You can read that article here.

Kale started his winemaking passion in college. Originally a pre-med student, he was struck by the tastes and aromas of wine as well as the role it played in bringing people together. He was so moved that he changed his major to graduate from U.C. Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology. Kale began his wine journey as an intern at Colgin Cellars. He then moved on to Terra Valentine to work as the Assistant Winemaker and in all aspects of the winery there. These experiences truly round out a new graduate in winemaking to truly appreciate the different aspects of the wine business.

During this time at Cliff Lede, Kale began the journey of his own label – Kale Wines. In this chapter, he fashioned wines of great depth with his approach to Rhône varietals. His blending of these grapes was done with grace and respect of the vines. I personally enjoyed his expression of Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre (GSM) blends. He has an adept hand and a skilled ability to determine time to harvest and to craft the wines for a lovely bottle to drink. He specializes in small production, handcrafted wines. His wines can be tasted and enjoyed at The Wine Thief in Napa, which is a wonderful tasting room across from Oxbow Public Market.

The skills and talent that Kale employ have won many accolades over the years, including from Wine Spectator which identified Kale as one of “Four to Watch”. He has garnered high scores from many critics. His work at Pahlmeyer brought home a 100 point score from Robert Parker for crafting the 2013 Pièce de Résistance (the first perfect score for Pahlmeyer). Under his purview at Pahlmeyer, he delivered the Chardonnay, which garnered 95 points and was the Number 9 wine of the year from Wine Spectator. With that level of success and expertise, Kale formed a consulting business and has been consulting for many other wineries in the valley since 2016. His talent and skill in blending are recognized and highly regarded.

The next chapter for Kale is unfolding. He has partnered with the Eppright Family to expand their portfolio and to craft beautiful Chardonnays and Cabernets. They have purchased a property in Calistoga, which was sadly impacted by the Glass Fire. The purpose is to rebuild the winery and to include a custom crush facility. There, Kale will craft the new partnership’s wines with plans to grow the portfolio under a new label.

Our tasting on a recent delightful day, with Kale himself, started with his lovely Rosé. It was light and bright with expressive strawberry flavors composed of Grenache (84%) and Mourvèdre (24%). At only 12.5% alcohol, it was bright and refreshing.

From there, we moved on to a new expression of white wine from the 2021 vintage. With light alcohol, only 12.3%, it is a gracious wine to start off any dinner. It is composed of Marsanne (74%) and Roussanne (26%). It is an expressive and captivating wine that is bright and refreshing. Aromas, such as pear, that waft from the glass will lift your spirits.

Under his Kale David label, he now crafts three different Chardonnays. Each one is its own wine, and yet all share the graceful expression of Chardonnay that enthralls wine lovers. Two hail from Napa Valley vineyards: The A18 is from Atlas Peak, and the Larry Hyde & Sons is from the Carneros District. The third, my favorite, is from the Ritchie Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. It expresses itself as lemon zest, brioche and apple to me and was truly captivating. All three of these wines have garnered high scores from the Wine Independent, reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown (formerly of the Wine Advocate). The A18 garnered 94 points; the Larry Hyde & Sons earned 95 points; and the Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay received 95 points. Here is the Ritchie Vineyard review by Perrotti-Brown:

“95 points: The 2020 Kale David Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay bursts with profound notions of spiced pears, pineapple upside-down cake, and apple butter, with suggestions of candied ginger, croissant, and butterscotch. The full-bodied palate fills the mouth with creamy textured tropical and stone fruit flavors, lifted by balancing acidity, finishing long and spicy.”

The tasting then transitioned to two Rhône Varietals. First was the 2016 Broken Axle, which is a luscious wine composed of Syrah (55%) and Grenache (45%). It is deep and rich with bright strawberry and boysenberry that waft from the glass. The depth of flavors evolves over the palate and ends with a richness on the finish. It is lovely wine to enjoy now.

We finished with the 2019 Syrah “Hyde Vineyard” (100%) that capped off a wonderful tasting. It was smooth and voluptuous on the palate. With flavors of dark fruit and tobacco along with smooth, round tannins, it was a great finish to a wonderful tasting.

Kale makes wines that are compelling and delicious. He crafts a diverse portfolio of wine that all can enjoy. As Kale himself says, “The world of wine is vast.” The next chapter is very bright. You can explore that world of wine at The Wine Thief in Napa or at Kale Wines’ website.

Enjoy!