Sampler: $20 per person

Few people understand Chenin Blanc the way Craig Haarmeyer does. One of California’s foremost specialists in this remarkable grape, he has devoted his career to a single question: how can a wine speak for the place where it was grown? His answer lives in the glass. Each bottle captures the distinct personality of its vineyard, shaped by a deep understanding of terroir and a refusal to let anything come between the grape and its home.

Join us for a tasting of four of his wines, poured by Craig himself, who will share the stories behind each bottle. Ask him anything, see California through the eyes of one of its most passionate champions, and settle in for an evening of great wine and even better conversation. This is Craig’s very first visit to Ann Arbor, so raise a glass and help us make it one to remember!

Featured Wines:
2025 St. Rey SRV Chenin Blanc
Craig Haarmeyer’s 2025 St. Rey SRV Chenin Blanc is an energetic, inviting introduction to one of the world’s most expressive grapes. It comes from Sutter Ranch Vineyard in the cool southern reaches of Clarksburg, where sandy clay soils and Delta breezes keep the fruit fresh and lively. Bright citrus, green apple, and a hint of fresh herbs frame a palate that balances zesty acidity with Chenin’s gently rounded texture. Dry, vibrant, and easy to love, it’s a wine whose immediate charm opens the door to something deeper: an appreciation of Chenin’s distinctive character and Haarmeyer’s commitment to expressing the vineyard with clarity in every glass.

2024 Gold Hill Chenin Blanc
This Chenin Blanc shifts the spotlight to Peeps Vineyard in El Dorado County, offering a fresh perspective on his exploration of California Chenin. Here, the story is place: a single vineyard, a distinct Sierra foothill setting, and a winemaker committed to letting those differences speak. At just 12.09% alcohol, the wine offers a lighter frame that invites attention to nuance rather than weight. Paired with St. Rey SRV, Gold Hill showcases Chenin’s versatility and Craig’s guiding conviction: the grape is more than a signature variety. It is a remarkably sensitive interpreter of its vineyard home.

2023 Victor Weißer Gemischter Satz
The 2023 Victor Weißer Gemischter Satz captures the extraordinary diversity of Mokelumne Glen Vineyard, a riverside site in Lodi planted to German and Austrian varieties. This remarkable white brings together 52 grape varieties, harvested and fermented as a single lot in the Viennese tradition of Gemischter Satz. Even red-skinned varieties join the blend, gently basket-pressed to limit color and tannin extraction. Pale gold with a delicate rosy blush, it is dry, exotic, and feather-light, delivering complexity without heaviness. Rather than spotlighting one grape, Craig presents the collective voice of an entire vineyard: an exuberant expression of place, shaped by an unusually diverse planting.

2023 Nebbiolo
This Nebbiolo offers a compelling California interpretation of this famously expressive Italian grape, favoring finesse over power. It is grown in Clarksburg by the Heringer family, longtime Delta farmers and regional leaders in organic farming. The rich Delta soils and warmer climate differ markedly from Nebbiolo’s Piedmont homeland. Craig picks early to preserve natural acidity and tannin, and describes the result as one of California’s lightest and most varietally faithful expressions. A brief élevage keeps its youthful character intact. The appeal lies in that balance: delicacy without anonymity, freshness without sacrificing identity. It is an invitation to discover Nebbiolo through Craig’s distinctive lens, in an unexpected Sacramento Delta vineyard.