Winemaking is storytelling. A new Sonoma County vineyard celebrates its story of a timeless bond through each bottle of zinfandel it makes, especially now as it culminates its first year in business.
A bottle of Dancing is a canvas for expression and an invitation to bask in whatever feelings may arise while the juice whishes throughout the palate. While Cynthia Russell and her daughter, Lauren, never intended to become business partners, they couldn’t ignore what they felt they’re new 12-acre property was trying to tell them. In the process, they realized they could add a valuable perspective to the wine industry that speaks to all generations.
Embracing Zinfandel
Living in New York City during the covid pandemic came with a unique set of challenges that lead the Russells to pursue spontaneous adventure. On somewhat of a whim, the family purchased the Sonoma property to live a simpler lifestyle, more connected to the land and each other. But they were faced with a heavy physical and emotional task when they had to renovate the vineyard ridden with burn scars from recent wildfires, which had destroyed that year’s entire harvest.
They were hesitant to go through with the burden, but after learning about the history of their new home, they had a change of heart. “Zinfandel is America’s grape,” Cynthia says. “How could we buy this house just to look around when there’s this great history of wine making just on this street,” she remembers thinking. The two of them enrolled at UC Davis’ renowned winemaking course so that they didn’t just have to hire the right people, but they could have a personal hand in whatever journey was to come.
Running a vineyard and subsequently a wine business, although uniquely challenging, was not completely out of left field for the mother-daughter duo. Lauren previously worked in beer marketing at AB InBev before attending Columbia Business School. Cynthia, a graduate of Harvard Business School, always had a refined palate for wine, particularly after living in France and creating a direct marketing travel club for American Express.
They considered planting a variety of grapes, but decided to embrace the rich bounty of Dry Creek Valley, known for its zinfandel, largely because of its microclimate. “It has a stony, iron-rich, reddish soil,” says Advanced Sommelier Alexandria Sarovich, owner of Own Rooted Hospitality, of which Dancing is a client. “It’s dry all growing season so that really adds to the complexity of the grapes.” The dark zinfandel grapes are robust and resilient, making them prime for the extreme temperature swings from day to night. “It’s actually what makes zinfandel so juicy and delicious,” Cynthia says. “It has this ability to ripen with this extreme heat.”
A Blend Of Two Generations
While refurbishing the vineyard, Cynthia and Lauren were feeling an eerie resemblance between their own personal relationship and the enduring vines. “Wine has been a part of how people relate and experience being human,” Cynthia says. “Lauren’s generation is intimidated by choosing a wine. And I’ve been drinking…for me, that life and that culture is accessible.” It’s what steered them into the specific branding of their prized zinfandel: Old and new vines, reflecting the relationship between mother and daughter.
The records of the vineyard are nowhere to be found, but based on the research they have done on their own, they are confident the Old Vine is more than 50 years old. These head-trained vines grow less grapes than the newer ones, so they are more dense with juice and complexity. Sarovich describes the Old Vine as “power and pedigree.” She says, “it’s got this deeper, dark fruit characteristic and more of this chocolatey characteristic. The oak is even more present…more spice and vanilla.” This first year’s vintage was harvested in 2022 and then aged in new oak barrels for 15 months. Despite having distinct personalities, the process of making the new Estate zinfandel, while juicier and more tannic, is practically the same but the vines are only about 20 years old.
While the story of two generations coming together could be told solely by making each the Old Vine and Estate zinfandels, it is really encapsulated with the decision to make the Duo, a blend of each.
A more modern practice that makes Dancing’s zinfandel different than others is that the Russells harvest their grapes earlier than what’s considered standard. ”A lot of zinfandel can be super jammy, super heavy…what the region has done for hundreds of years,” Lauren explains. “We want more acidic, slightly less alcohol content, brighter… that starts with the farming process. We don’t want [the grapes] to hang for a super long time.”
On the flip side, how they’re honoring tradition is by running the vineyard as a more European-style estate. Dancing is a single-estate vineyard that uses its own grapes exclusively. Sarovich describes how in Europe generally, “they’re a little bit more old-school. They’re like, ‘God no,’ we never purchase grapes from someone else,” which American vineyards quite often do. Dancing’s grapes are then transported for the remainder of the winemaking process by J. Rickards Winery nearby in Geyserville.
The family has also planted some new zinfandel vines which have yet to be ready for harvest. In 2025, Dancing will release a new sparkling rosé and a sparkling blanc de blancs. It will be J. Rickards’ first sparkling zinfandel.
A Brand To Connect With
An alien vocabulary and passé presentation are part of the distance created between today’s new drinkers and the wine industry. Some brands have tried to lure in this lost generation by speaking their language, but often go too far. “There’s a deep search for meaning and thoughtfulness, connection and history. [Younger generations] don’t want too much of it, but they also don’t want things to be so glossy and fake and unimportant,” Cynthia has learned.
Lauren’s experience has taught her that younger generations are drawn to strong storytelling more than anything. “What speaks to the younger audience a lot is the brand…the fun, attainable luxury,” Lauren says. “It’s this tension between creating something really playful and honoring tradition.” When Gen Z and Millennial drinkers pick up the product due to the efficacy of this branding, they then sip on a zinfandel, a wine that they may not have tried before, and begin to understand what sets this grape apart from more commercialized ones. Older generations, while they may enjoy the branding too, have been seen to buy Dancing by the case; they’re confident that this is a wine they want to drink.
It may have been coincidental, but zinfandel is “the perfect gateway wine to red wines,” according to Sarovich. “It’s juicy and it’s so fruit-forward that even though it’s a dry style wine, it tastes like it has sweetness to it.” Rosés are also an easy gateway into wine, which is evident in Dancing’s rosé being its best seller this year. Dancing harvests grapes with the specific intention of making rosé out of them, as opposed to using leftover grapes.
The overall goal is to rid drinkers of any preconceived notions or pressure to experience wine in a certain way. “Everyone should be able to express their individuality and celebrate that,” Lauren says. “We found that ‘Dancing’ is a playful euphemism for freedom of expression.”
The abstract dancers on each bottle of Dancing change depending on which bottle and vintage you buy. “They’re based on the products and how we’re feeling,” Lauren says. “There’s kind of this fluidity…just a different facet of our interpretation of Dancing.” Dancing invites you to connect with its wine at the initial glance of its bottle–and then continue it with those you’re sharing it with.
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