Kelley’s inspiration comes in part from the European concept of local bulk wine, where consumers fill their own jugs at the village co–op or neighborhood shop, and a philosophy of maintaining freshness. Instead of glass bottles or jugs, however, Kelley uses reusable stainless steel canisters made by Kleen Kanteen, a company based in Chico, California. At present, the Natural Process Alliance is distributed directly to restaurants in Northern California through a delivery service that exchanges empty canisters for full ones bottled on demand.
“It’s about getting truly fresh wine,” says Kelley. Bottling with reusable stainless canisters allows Kelley to avoid using cork and heavy glass bottles, in exchange for a process that he feels gives him greater control in the winery. Kelley’s wines — a 2008 pinot gris from the Chalk Hill appellation and an ‘08 chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast — are vibrant and expressive, with full, rich flavors yet free from the heaviness of oak or overripe sweetness. While his methodology clearly limits the range of the wines (the project isn’t designed for large-scale distribution), there’s no denying their freshness.
This story was featured in W&S February 2009.
Based in San Francisco, Wolfgang Weber was the Italian wine critic at W&S. He now works with the Revel Wine and Selection Massale, and continues to write freelance. Nebbiolo is his spirit grape but if he were to live anywhere in Italy, he’d choose Liguria.
This story appears in the print issue of February 2009.
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