Neyers house spotlight
Wine Talks sits down with Bruce Neyers of Neyers Vineyards, the founder behind Sage Canyon Red, on Napa, French influence, and the path that shaped the house.
The market on this bottle
Wine-Searcher tracks this 2022 Neyers Vineyards Sage Canyon Red California across the open market. Their published U.S. low is $22.51 and the average is $29.13. Our slash is $21.00.
2022 Neyers Vineyards Sage Canyon Red California, USA
Tadeo Borchardt's foot-trodden whole-cluster California Rhône, old-vine fruit and two 91s at twenty-four dollars.
Bruce Neyers and winemaker Tadeo Borchardt layer Carignan, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Zinfandel, and Grenache into a fragrant, spice-laced red with fresh acidity and fine tannin, now $21.
A French question, answered in California stems
Daniel Brunier of Vieux Télégraphe asked Bruce Neyers why he was not making wine from the Grenache they drove past. That question became Sage Canyon: Carignan, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache, and a century-old Zinfandel block, foot-trodden with every stem. Wine Enthusiast and James Suckling both went 91. This is the proof that a California Rhône can drink easy without going simple.
The house
Bruce and Barbara Neyers released their first wine in 1992. Tadeo Borchardt has made the cellar since 2004, after years of French internships Bruce arranged.
The wine
35% Carignan, 20% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 10% Zinfandel, 5% Grenache. Native yeast, twice-daily pigeage, no fining or filtration.
The scores
Wine Enthusiast 91. James Suckling 91. Bright, medium-bodied, built for the table.
The drinker
Serve near 58 to 62 F. Open about thirty minutes ahead. Lamb chops or mushroom ragù over polenta.
Wild cherry, pepper, and a smooth savory line
The winery note begins with peach, apricot, mineral, and earth, then turns through allspice, clove, nutmeg, and wild cherry on a long, smooth finish.
Tadeo found Cinsault at Lomo Del Rio in King City and century-old Zinfandel at Fathom Vineyard. The 2022 keeps the stems, the spice, and the easy drink Bruce likes to brag about.
Lavender, wild cherry, huckleberry, peach, apricot, mineral, and an earthy undertone.
Medium-bodied and bright, with fine but grippy tannin, 13.6% ABV, 100% stems.
Smooth savory finish of black tea and pepper. Serve 58 to 62 F. Open 30 minutes ahead.
Cold fruit, then the intern walks the cap
Neyers keeps this wine physical on purpose: night-picked fruit, native yeast, twice-daily foot treading, extended fermentation, then a year in used French oak with nothing added at bottling. Tadeo Borchardt is the hand. Bruce Neyers is the French conversation that started it.
Grapes are hand-picked at night into half-ton bins and delivered at first light, then go into open-top stainless tanks with every stem still on. An intern walks the fermenting cap twice daily for about thirty minutes during the first twenty days.
After forty to forty-five days the wine is pressed into used sixty-gallon French oak for one year, then bottled without fining or filtration. That is why the 2022 still smells like flowers and pepper instead of new-oak toast.
From Kermit Lynch to Sage Canyon
The Sage Canyon story connects Bruce and Barbara Neyers, Kermit Lynch, Daniel Brunier, and Tadeo Borchardt through one deceptively easy-drinking red.
Bruce and Barbara Neyers released their first wine in 1992, while Bruce's work with Kermit Lynch kept him close to generations of French growers. Those conversations shaped a house style built on restraint, native fermentations, and site transparency.
In 2005, Daniel Brunier spotted Grenache during a drive through central California and asked why Neyers did not make wine from it. His persistence sent Bruce and Tadeo searching for Carignan, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah.
Small trial lots followed in 2006 and 2007. By 2009 the blend had the character they wanted and took the Sage Canyon name from the winery's Napa Valley neighborhood.
Lamb in the pan, mushrooms on polenta
Lamb answers the whole-cluster spice and tannin. Mushroom ragù draws out earth, black tea, and herbs while polenta softens the edges.
Two plates. One garlic-sizzled lamb chop. One mushroom ragù over polenta.
Serve near 58 to 62 F and open about thirty minutes before dinner. A broad glass helps the floral and pepper notes lift.
Lamb Loin Chops Sizzled with Garlic
Food & Wine's twenty-minute recipe pairs browned lamb and garlic with thyme, lemon, parsley, and crushed red pepper.
Why it works: Lamb richness meets the tannin, while garlic, thyme, pepper, and lemon echo savory spice and bright acidity.
View Recipe for Lamb Loin Chops Sizzled with Garlic (opens in a new tab)
Mushroom Ragu with Greens over Polenta
Lidia Bastianich layers mixed mushrooms, leeks, rosemary, escarole, peperoncino, butter, and Grana Padano over creamy polenta.
Why it works: Mushroom umami and rosemary mirror earth and dried herbs. Polenta and cheese soften tannin while greens keep the finish fresh.
View Recipe for Mushroom Ragu with Greens over Polenta (opens in a new tab)Open Sage Canyon tonight
Bruce Neyers, Tadeo Borchardt, every stem, two 91s. Twenty-four dollars.
Put it in the cart. This is the California Rhône Bruce calls way too easy to drink.
