News/Press

Zeitgeist 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
92 pts

A blend from two vineyards, one in St. Helena, one in Coombsville, this is made by husband-and-wife team Mark Porembski and Jennifer Williams. The wine has a long drive of flavor, with cool red fruit darkening to black cherry. It feels elegant up until the end, the point where the warm St. Helena tannins haven't yet integrated with the cooler tones of Coombsville. Give it time in bottle and more clarity of flavor should emerge in the finish.  Zeitgeist Cellars, St. Helena, CA

An impressive number of married couples also seem to enjoy making wine together...Add to that list Jennifer Williams, winemaker of Spottswoode (where I worked the harvest and wrote about it) and her husband Mark Poremski, winemaker at Anomoly and Charnu. Together they make Zeitgeist Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon.
More...

...St. Helena resident Mark Porembski makes wines for Anomaly Vineyards and for Charnu Winery, both Napa Valley Vintner members. His wife, Jennifer Williams, is the winemaker and vineyard manager for Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery. Porembski was first assistant winemaker at Behrens & Hitchcock/Erna Schein Winery on Spring Mountain in St. Helena and joined Anomaly in 2002. Three years later, in 2005, he became winemaker. Jennifer Williams has worked in Napa and the Central Coast and has completed an internship in northern Spain. She said, "The majority of my education and experience in the industry has had a vineyard focus. It's been the grace of a handful of wonderful winemaker mentors who have taught me the ropes, and from whom I continue to learn." One of those, obviously, was Rosemary Cakebread, who made wine at Spottswoode for nearly 10 years. Porembski and Williams have their own cabernet and syrah label, Zeitgeist Cellars. They reside in St. Helena with their young daughter, Kiran.
More...

Zeitgeist Cellars, Syrah
Bald Mountain Ranch, Mt. Veeder 2008

Zeitgeist is a philosophical term meaning the spirit of the times. Zeitgeist Cellars was conceived and is operated by Mark Porembski and Jennifer Williams. Mark's day jobs are as assistant winemaker at Behrens Family Winery and winemaker at Anomaly Vineyard in St. Helena. Jennifer's day job is that of winemaker at Spottswoode Estate Winery in St. Helena.

Mark's path to California took him through Boston's North End where he was drawn to wine via the relaxed underage drinking policies of the waiters in some of his favorite eateries. He moved to California in 2000 holding tightly in his hand that which all good winemakers strive for: a degree in poetry. The bard has found his vehicle. Jennifer has a degree in agriculture from Cal Poly and paid her dues at a number of wineries in California as well as in Rioja Alavesa in Spain before accepting the winemaking position at Spottswoode in 2006.

The Zeitgeist Syrah hails from a dry-farmed vineyard located at the top of Mt. Veeder, which straddles the Napa/Sonoma county line. The rows that they have contracted lie within the Napa Valley appellation. Comprised of 100% Syrah, the nose belies its origin. One sniff and you are vaulted into the Rhone. Perhaps Cornas or Hermitage. Meaty and brooding, the wine has a very intense nose that screams SYRAH. The flavors that follow are true to what is promised in the nose, but with an unexpected smoothness that belies the intensity. 47 cases produced

Zeitgeist 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
91 pts

Rich with lots of juicy fruit here. Full with a round and soft tannin texture and fresh acidity. Lacks a little bit of fruit at the finish. But it should come together with bottle age. Best after 2013.