Never Not Rebelling: A Tasting of California Rule Breakers, Renegades & Revolutionaries-Mequon

Tuesday| July 7th | 6:30 - 8:00 PM | $35 | Ray's Mequon

California wine has always been a rebellion.

The first American winemakers were pioneers in every sense—leaving behind European traditions and building something entirely new on the western frontier. Yet as California wine matured, it found itself creating a new establishment of its own: Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc. Familiar. Successful. Predictable.

Then came the rebels.

The Rhone Rangers challenged the dominance of the classic California playbook, championing Syrah, Grenache, and eclectic blends long before they were fashionable. Wines like Bonny Doon’s legendary Cigar Volant, Qupe Syrah, and other iconoclast bottlings proved California could be more than Napa Cabernet and buttery Chardonnay.

But rebellion never stands still.

A new generation pushed back against excess and homogeneity, embracing forgotten varieties, old vineyards, restrained winemaking, and a deeper connection to place. Producers like Arnot-Roberts, Matthiasson, and Bedrock rewrote the definition of California wine, proving that elegance, freshness, and authenticity could be just as compelling as power and prestige.

Today, California's newest revolutionaries are taking the movement even further. Winemakers such as Pax, Martha Stoumen, and Jolie-Laide are expanding the boundaries of what California wine can be—exploring skin-contact wines, obscure grape varieties, minimal intervention, and a fearless spirit of experimentation.

Join us as we trace the lineage of California’s great wine rebels—from the original Rhone Rangers to the vanguard of the New California movement.

Because in California wine, the most enduring tradition is breaking with tradition.

Featured Wines & Producers

Au Bon Climat 2023 Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc

Bonny Doon 2023 Le Cigare Volant Rouge

Qupé 2022 Syrah

Pax 2023 Syrah "The Bench Vineyard"

Arnot-Roberts 2024 Trousseau

Matthiasson 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon

Jolie-Laide 2025 Trousseau Gris "Fannucchi Wood Road"

Martha Stoumen "Post Flirtation" Orange