Sage Rat, Carbonic Nebbiolo - 2025

Fast Facts:

Winemaker(s): Dusty Jenkins
Region: Tokki-Ya Vineyard → Rattlesnake Hills → Yakima Valley → Washington Varietal(s): Nebbiolo
Terroir: Silt loam, hot days / cool nights, high ridgeline frost shelter
Serving Temp: 50-55°F

A sage rat is a ground squirrel, the kind that pops up all over the dry Yakima hills, and Dusty Jenkins picked the name because he liked how little reverence it carried. That tells you most of what you need to know about him. He grew up in Zillah, the son of a ditch rider (the irrigation hand who turns the water on and off for the farms), took off for a film career in LA, then came right back to the valley he'd tried to leave. Classic.

These days Dusty is the head winemaker at family-run Gilbert Cellars, and Sage Rat, with their blessing, is the thing he makes as sort of a significant "side project" and capped around a thousand cases. He works almost entirely with Italian grapes, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, because nobody in Washington has decided yet what they're "supposed" to taste like, which leaves him room to play around the edges of the sandbox.

For this one he took Nebbiolo, the famously tannic, slow-aging king of Piedmont, and did the most irreverent thing: carbonic maceration, where whole clusters ferment from the inside out under a blanket of their own carbon dioxide. Beaujolais style. That brings out bright, crunchy fruit and almost no grip, landing somewhere between a light red and a dark rosé. The fruit is organically farmed by Greg and Michelle Perrault at Tokki-Ya, up in the Rattlesnake Hills, where the most ideal soil, warm days, and cool nights, brings out all of the brightness he needs.

Why'd we pick it?

More cats! Also, Dusty's a friend of ours. Back in the COVID days he was peddling wines out of the trunk of his car. One day, he showed up to Field unannounced with a few bottles in hand and the sweetest smile. The rest is history!

Also his wines rule, and a chillable playful Nebbiolo really captures the irreverence we love. This grape almost never gets to be this loosey-goosey, and Dusty makes it look effortless. If you find yourself near Yakima, go see him at Gilbert Cellars. Tell him we sent you.

Field Notes

• Tastes like: Crunchy cranberry and sour cherry, a little pomegranate and dried rose, then a peppery near-balsamic snap to finish. Bright acid, the lightest brush of tannin.
• Serve it right outta the fridge, let it stretch its legs a bit in your glass.
• Food Pairings: I personally think this is a perfect burger wine, maybe some salt & vin chips on the side? And crispy smashed potatoes with garlic aioli and a side slaw, hey-oh! Grill up some asparagus with a soft poached egg, or just drag some radishes through cold butter with salt and call it a day.