Many stories come out of the Sonoma County Harvest Fair—mine is usually like, “Dude, where’s my car?” From a winemaker’s perspective, however, the annual event can prove life-changing.
Such was the case with Dennis McCarter, who started making wine in his garage a little over a decade ago. Each vintage saw his wines blossom. He took his last swing at amateur winemaking in 2019, entering a pinot noir from that same year and a 2018 cabernet sauvignon co-fermented with 10% viognier. To his delight, the pinot took home Best of Class, while his cab snagged a Solid Gold in its category—a pivotal moment that marked his transition from passionate amateur to professional winemaker.
Fast-forward to today, as McCarter (now co-owner of McCarter Cellars with his wife, Laura) reflects on the miles traveled and wines crafted while gearing up for this year’s Harvest Fair. His 2023 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and a 2022 Forchini Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot are leading the charge—both already basking in critical acclaim.
The latter racked up a 98-point Best of Class nod at the North Coast Wine Challenge and glowing reviews from the San Francisco Chronicle. Not to be overshadowed, his dry-style gewürztraminer grabbed silver at both the Sunset International and North Coast Wine Challenge, while his rosé of pinot noir earned local love, was voted Best of the North Bay by North Bay Biz and won gold with 93 points at the Experience Rosé International Wine Competition.
The Bohemian recently enjoyed an email exchange with McCarter during the ramp-up to this year’s Sonoma County Harvest Fair.
Bohemian: You have one of those great “Cinderella” stories, having gone from a garagiste to an award-winning, premium winemaker in a decade or so. What has been your driving passion to succeed? Great wine idea, I imagine—is there more?
Dennis McCarter: My journey from garagiste to an award-winning winemaker has been truly inspiring. Growing up in a cooking family, I developed a deep appreciation for homemade meals, and that same love and care is poured into my wines. My driving passion to succeed goes beyond just the love for great wine; it involves a commitment to quality and craftsmanship, as well as an unwavering desire to create exceptional wines from the grapes I source.
Building connections within the community and fostering relationships with wine enthusiasts and fellow winemakers, along with the push from my friends and family, has been a significant motivation for me. Additionally, I find joy in storytelling through my wines, capturing moments and experiences in each bottle. The pursuit of knowledge, continuous experimentation and innovation in my techniques further fuel my drive. Ultimately, it’s a combination of my passion for the product, respect for the sources I work with and a vision for the future that propels me forward in this rewarding journey.
B: In your bio, you mention how the wildfires partly inspired your shift to fully embrace winemaking as a career—how did that take shape?
DM: Since 2017, fires in Napa and Sonoma County have made it difficult to run my agency due to changes in the insurance industry and commission structures. I realized it was time to change my path. Starting over can be intimidating, especially from the bottom, but it’s perfectly fine to begin again. I sold my agency and returned to my roots.
After the Tubbs and Nuns fires, I had the opportunity to work with smoke-tainted grapes. I crafted a petit verdot and a merlot. The petit verdot had a unique character, while the merlot featured smooth tannins and won a gold medal at the harvest fair despite the smoke exposure. This experience serves as a reminder that wine is geography and history bottled.
B: I love that you studied locally by working at wineries and enrolling in the lauded enology courses at SRJC. What are the advantages of studying winemaking where you intend to make it?
DM: Taking an enology course at SRJC reinforced what I learned at home and on the job at other wineries, emphasizing that education is the foundation for growth.
B: Your wines are identified with Sonoma County. Have you ever been tempted by other regions? What else is on the horizon?
DM: As the wine business grows slowly, I’m open to sourcing from anywhere in the North Coast, including Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino. I will be making a zinfandel from Leigh Thomas Vineyard in the Rockpile AVA, and my pinot noir from the Russian River Valley arrived last week.
B: What’s it like working so closely with your wife, Laura? Do you have any tips for other aspiring power couples in the wine industry and beyond?
DM: Laura’s day job is in middle management at Keysight. Anything beyond that can be taxing, and she sometimes feels burnt out on both ends of the candle. My advice is to take time to value and appreciate each other’s effort and plan date nights and trips. I see power couples in the industry like Sarah Vaughn and Matt Duffy of Vaughn Duffy Wines, as well as Eric and Alison of Smith Story Wine Cellars.
B: I’m going out to buy a bottle of McCarter right now. Which one should I start with? Which one should I end with (haha!)?
DM: Get a bottle of my double gold pinot noir, an international gold-winning rosé and a bottle of my dry gewürztraminer.
For more information on McCarter Cellars, visit mccartercellars.com.The Sonoma County Harvest Fair hosts Taste, Toast & Celebrate from 6 to 9pm, on Saturday, Oct. 12, in the Grace Pavilion at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1450 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. Tickets are $80 and include parking. harvestfair.org.
