Moshin Winery

After an absolutely lovely time at MacRostie Winery, I decided I had time for one more wine tasting experience before I checked into my stay at AutoCamp Sonoma for the night. Arriving at Moshin Winery, the warm and inviting atmosphere felt prefect for the vibe I wanted to experience.

Walking in, I introduced myself to Stacey, the Hospitality Director for Moshin Winery. She sat me at a table and I took everything in. And before long, I was settled into one of the best conversations I’ve had over wine tasting in recent memory.

Standard Wine Tasting

2024 CoMoshin, Agate Ridge Vineyard, Oregon

2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

2022 Grenache, Russian River Valley

2020 Calliope, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

2021 Whisper in the Dark, Dry Creek Valley Semi-Sweet Port Style Zinfandel

Additions

2023 Chenin Blanc, Green Valley Vineyard, Solano County

2019 Pinot Noir, Rosalina Vineyard, Russian River Valley

My time at Moshin Winery was truly special, thanks to Stacey. She shared how many of the wineries in the region remain family-owned, preserving the authenticity and passion that define Sonoma County’s wine community.

What makes Moshin Winery particularly unique is its role as a custom crush facility for other wineries – up to seventeen producers use their space to process grapes. It’s a remarkable testament to both the scale and reputation of their operation.

During my visit, I spoke with Stacey about my dream of starting a small wine label. This has been a theme that’s recently followed me on my tasting journey. From conversations in the Lo-Fi Wines Tasting Room to speaking with the winemakers at The River Club: Tasting Paper Planes & Belong Wine Co., I’ve found that the most inspiring part of these experiences is hearing producers speak about their love for the craft.

Stacey offered some thoughtful advice: if I wanted to create a small production label – around 100 cases to start – I’d just need to find a winemaker who truly understands my vision, and a wine rep to help market and sell it. Her encouragement made the dream feel not only possible but within reach. Now, I’m looking forward to building a small but passionate circle of investors to bring it to life. She also mentioned that Fresno State had a great wine education program – the Department of Viticulture and Enology in the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology – for further development.

Throughout our time together, Stacey shared fascinating bits of knowledge. When she poured the 2023 Chenin Blanc, she explained that it had been aged in neutral oak, meaning barrels used multiple times that no longer impart strong oak flavors like vanilla or spice. Instead, neutral oak allows gentle oxygen exchange, softening the texture while preserving the wine’s natural brightness and purity.

She also took me through Moshin’s four-tier gravity-flow winemaking process, which sets them apart from most wineries. Grapes are first sorted and de-stemmed on the crush pad before naturally flowing into fermentation tanks below. From there, the wine moves down through the cellar for aging, then to the bottling level – all without the use of pumps. This careful, gravity driven process helps maintain the wine’s delicate character and integrity from start to finish.

Our conversation flowed easily, touching on everything from Stacey’s travels to Taiwan to her favorite local wineries – St. Francis Winery in Santa Rosa, Ram’s Gate Winery in Sonoma, and Pax Wines with their standout Syrahs. We even laughed over discovering that the Institute of Culinary Education had taken over the old Le Cordon Bleu campus in Pasadena, where she had once studied. She also recommended Woodenhead Vintners, Navarro Vineyards, Scharffenberger Cellars, and Lichen Estate, rounding out a list I can’t wait to explore.

Stacey’s depth of knowledge, enthusiasm, and genuine warmth made our hours together feel like a masterclass in both winemaking and life. She reminded me that wine isn’t about expertise – it’s about enjoyment. Too often, people feel pressured to use the right terminology or impress with tasting notes, but true appreciation starts with your own palate and personal connection to what’s in your glass.

At the heart of it, Stacey and I talked about the beauty of wine. That it isn’t about expertise – it’s about enjoyment.

Too often, people feel the need to speak a certain “wine language” or identify complex tasting notes. But real appreciation begins with your own palate and your personal connection to what’s in your glass. You don’t need to taste blackberry or cedar or leather to love a wine.

If it brings you joy in that moment, that’s enough.

In the end, my time with Stacey at Moshin Winery reaffirmed something simple yet profound. Wine is not a test of knowledge – with pinkies up trying to out snob someone else. It’s an invitation to connect.

Whether through conversation, discovery, or shared experience, every glass offers a chance to learn a little more about the world, and about your own taste.

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