{"product_id":"never-not-rebelling-a-tasting-of-california-rule-breakers-renegades-revolutionaries-mequon","title":"Never Not Rebelling: A Tasting of California Rule Breakers, Renegades \u0026 Revolutionaries-Mequon","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTuesday| July 7th | 6:30 - 8:00 PM | $35 | Ray's Mequon\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCalifornia wine has always been a rebellion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThen came the rebels.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut rebellion never stands still.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eToday, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJoin 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBecause in California wine, the most enduring tradition is breaking with tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeatured Wines \u0026amp; Producers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAu Bon Climat 2023 Pinot Gris\/Pinot Blanc\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBonny Doon 2023 Le Cigare Volant Rouge \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQupé 2022 Syrah\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePax 2023 Syrah \"The Bench Vineyard\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eArnot-Roberts 2024 Trousseau\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatthiasson 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJolie-Laide 2025 Trousseau Gris \"Fannucchi Wood Road\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMartha Stoumen \"Post Flirtation\" Orange\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Event","offers":[{"title":"Class Ticket","offer_id":48421277335811,"sku":"TS-2ca17d","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Class Ticket + Charcuterie","offer_id":48421277368579,"sku":"TS-8d91de","price":57.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/3017\/6259\/files\/4f2579ef-78ed-4a66-b8f9-114225e0ac4d.png?v=1781534789","url":"https:\/\/www.rayswine.com\/products\/never-not-rebelling-a-tasting-of-california-rule-breakers-renegades-revolutionaries-mequon","provider":"Ray's Wine \u0026 Spirits","version":"1.0","type":"link"}