The Story

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.

Why We Do What We Do…..

“I believe through the practice of Native Fermentation the terroir of the vineyard is given the opportunity to show off it’s true character”…MJM

I believe through the practice of Native Fermentation the terroir of the vineyard has a better chance of showing off it’s 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 these 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”.

Current production is 4,500 cases which include six different vineyard designated Zinfandels and a line of Rhone varietals (Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Carignane, Grenache, Cinsault, Petite Sirah and Syrah) with more to come.

Facts

Native Fermentations
Single Vineyard designated Wines
Estate Vineyards
Winemaking is done in the vineyardOld World Winemaking
All are a very important part of our Winery…

History

Michael attended the University of Santa Barbara to obtain a degree in marine biology…huh, sometimes life is funny…soon figuring out that he did not have a calling to the ocean. Michael’s passion for vineyards and winemaking continued to grow and after making wine on many different levels and with several different Winemakers his family and friends encouraged Michael to start his own label.

“Our goal is simple…to make wine with a sense of presence and character that expresses the trueness of the vineyard”. 

We believe that Lodi California has the perfect climate for Zinfandel and Rhone varietals. Lodi has beautiful heat in the summer and evenings that are cool with an average of 57 degrees during the summer months…perfect for Zinfandel. My wine making approach is “Hands On…Hands Off.” Hands on in the vineyard and hands off in the Winery. I look for certain and unique flavor profiles out of particular vineyards…it’s all about the terroir in the vineyard. The goal is to create the perfect balance between the vine and the fruit. In the cellar it’s all about Native Fermentation. Through the practice of Native Fermentation the terroir of the vineyard has a better chance of showing off it’s true characteristics. Currently, I am working with five different Zinfandel vineyards, with the oldest vineyard being planted in 1915. These Zinfandel vineyards are scattered across Lodi from west to east, all with their own unique micro climates and individual sense of terroir.  The Winery’s production is typically in the range of 100- 500 cases per vineyard. McCay Cellars is a small winery that is all about presence and character of it’s wines.

Recent Accolades

Wine Maker to watch San Francisco Chronicle 
Best of Class
Finalist California Zinfandel Championship
Top 100 Wines in San Francisco Chronicle 3 different years
Well over 100 distinctions in the last couples of years including:Best of Region, Best of Class, Double Gold, Gold and many other medals and awards.

“Don’t be concerned about the storm, learn to dance in the rain”… 

ENJOY…Michael & Linda McCay