Two Shepherds

Two Shepherds crafts this Grenache with a gentle hand, letting the grape's natural charm shine through without heavy-handed winemaking. This isn't your typical fruit bomb – it's a thoughtful, nuanced wine that speaks more of place than power. William Allen (the shepherd-in-chief) follows a minimalist approach, with native fermentation and neutral oak aging that preserves the wine's delicate character. The result is a Grenache that would make the Rhône Valley proud but with a distinctly California sunshine personality. For those tired of overblown reds, this wine is a breath of fresh air – like finding a quiet, intelligent conversation at a party full of loud talkers.

Lil Trouble might be the name, but this wine will solve more problems than it causes – namely, the problem of finding a versatile red that works with practically everything. Two Shepherds crafts this delightfully light-footed blend in a style that drinks somewhere between a rosé and a red. Made with minimal intervention and a light touch, this is the antithesis of those heavy, over-extracted reds that leave you feeling like you've been chewing on a tree. Instead, it's the kind of wine that disappears from your glass mysteriously quickly and leaves you reaching for more. Slightly chilled on a warm evening, it's the kind of trouble worth getting into – repeatedly.

Picpoul (which literally means 'lip-stinger' in French) lives up to its name in this electric offering from Two Shepherds. This rare Rhône variety is seldom seen in California, but winemaker William Allen has a knack for championing the underdogs of the wine world. This isn't your standard-issue California white – there's no oak, no butter, no heaviness, just pure, zippy refreshment that could wake the dead. It's the vinous equivalent of jumping into a cold mountain stream on a hot day. Two Shepherds' minimal intervention approach lets the grape's natural acidity and mineral character shine through, creating a wine that seafood practically jumps onto the plate to meet.