2023 · Monkey Jacket

Cruse Wine Co. is an independent, boutique producer based in Petaluma, California, founded in 2008 by Michael Cruse and a small group of friends. Owned and operated by Cruse, the winery sources fruit from sites across Napa Valley and Sonoma County, with a focus on alternative varieties including Valdiguié, Tannat, Syrah, Carignan, and Chardonnay. The range centers on small-lot, single-vineyard wines, the Monkey Jacket red blend, and both traditional and ancestral method sparkling wines. Cruse emphasizes minimal-intervention, environmentally friendly winemaking and organic farming, with notes citing both practicing and certified organic farming. The style is distinctly Californian, often including bubbles, and shaped by Michael Cruse’s hands-on role as founder and winemaker.