Premier Winery Experience participant and Passport to Zinfandel participant  McCay Cellars has a simple goal: to make wine with a sense of presence and character that expresses the trueness of the vineyard. Michael McCay and his family have farmed in the Lodi AVA for 25 years. Michael McCay’s journey of making/producing wine began in 1994 with a small batch from the TruLux Vineyard, the family launched their own label, McCay Cellars in 2007.

“I believe through the practice of Native Fermentation the terroir of the vineyard is given the opportunity to show off its true character.  I believe through the practice of Native Fermentation the terroir of the vineyard has a better chance of showing off its true characters. The process by which grapes ferment through Native Fermentation can involve thirty, forty, fifty or more different kinds of yeasts, the actions of this yeast are affected by pH, temperature, sugar levels, and thousands of compounds in the grapes. I also love the fact that it’s so complex that each and every lot is a new adventure, which can lead to many different challenges. No doubt there are risks with Native Fermentation. I was looking for certain flavor profiles out of particular vineyards…“all about the terroir”. 

Michael McCay