Craig and Suzanne Kuehn
Our Family and Travels
Art by Suzanne Kuehn
2012 Zinfandel (California)
2013 Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi)
2014 Amoroso (Italy)
2015 Riesling (Finger Lakes)
2016 Two Roads Red (Dry Creek)
(Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel)
2017 Super Tuscan (Italy)
2018 Sauvignon Blanc (SA)
2019 Negroamaro (Sutter County)
2020 Negroamaro (Sutter County) [scratched]
2020 Nebbiolo (El Dorado)
2021 Negroamaro (Sutter County)
2021 Petite Syrah (El Dorado)
2022 Negroamaro (Sutter County)
2022 Riesling (California)
2023 Negroamaro (Sutter County)
2023 Barbera (El Dorado)
2024 Negroamaro (Sutter County)
2024 Primitivo (Sutter County)
In 2014, Suzie gifted Craig with a wine kit (zinfandel) and the necessary equipment to make wine. After appropriate aging, it wasn't half bad. Thusly encouraged, Craig ordered another kit and made more wine. More kits and wine followed.
Folsom Lake College revived their Viticulture and Enology program at the El Dorado Center campus in 2018. (Viticulture is growing grapes and enology is making wine.) Craig took the introductory class, Viticulture and Enology to learn more about what happens before grapes are made into juice. During this class, a few students and a guest lecturer encouraged Craig to join the El Dorado Home Winemakers Club. Craig and Suzie joined in late 2018. In 2019, Suzie and Craig enrolled in the Wines of the Sierra Foothills class. Later in the fall semester, Craig took the enology class.
They decided to make their own wine label and Suzie did the art work on the left. Encouraged by more wine making knowledge, they obtained grapes from the Cordi Winery (negroamaro) to make their first wine not from a kit. They have known Reece and Teresa Cordi for many years. The Cordis started the first winery in Sutter County.
The wine operation is very small as there is not a lot of room in the house for making a lot of wine. Of course, this not a commercial operation. There are no environmental controls except for regular heating and air conditioning, meaning that the ideal temperature for making wine is only in the fall and/or spring. Production will always be small.
Due to a major wildfire near Oroville, CA in 2020, the Negroamaro had smoke taint and the wine had to be dumped.
The 2023 vintage will be different. Napa is projecting an excellent year. Meanwhile, the Sierra foothills (here) had extended rain and cold in the spring. This has resulted in low pH wines. The Sacramento Valley is experiencing low brix (sugars), meaning low ethanol in the wine.