The writer/critic Jon Bonné published a book in 2013 called "The New California Wine" which surveyed the state's evolving viticultural landscape and profiled an innovative contingent of winemakers inspired by traditional Old World wines. These winemakers were advocates of sustainable farming and vineyard sites with untapped potential, often working with unusual grape varieties and taking a low-intervention approach in the cellar. Michael Cruse founded his wine project the same year as the book, or else he would be its poster child. Cruse is focused on creating "unabashedly Californian" wines that are fresh and pleasurable but also serious. His claim to fame is his sparkling wine project Ultramarine, which is completely unobtainable outside of California and barely obtainable there. He tends to work with off-beat varietals like tannat, carignan, st. laurent and valdiguié which is the dominant grape in "Monkey Jacket" red (the name is inspired by an old British sailor song). Valdiguié is often compared with gamay due to its similar appearance and flavor profile (in fact, from Prohibition until the 1980s it was known as "Napa Gamay") and it grows quite well in California due to its adaptability to warmer climates. "Monkey Jacket" is bright, juicy fun out of the gate but give it a half hour or so and layers of flavor will be revealed and you will be sipping steadily and happily. An everyday table wine, it's very food friendly...if there's any left when dinner hits the table.