Cellar Rat uncorks its private label wines

Wines can feel like subprime mortgage bonds — it can be difficult to understand exactly which grapes have been put together to make the bottle. But Ryan Sciara of Cellar Rat has removed the guess work with the latest micro-batch, private-label wines for his Crossroads store.

“We get to pick individual barrels. We’re not winemakers, so we try to have as much input in the process before the wine is made as possible,” says Sciara, managing partner at Cellar Rat.

The wine was made by Darek Trowbridge of Old World Winery — who has worked with Cellar Rat the last three years to design private-label wines. Two wines were produced based on Cellar Rat’s specifications: a 2006 Two Ranch Red and a 2006 Fog Line. Only 24 cases of each wine were made; the bottles retail for $20.  

“We did a blend to get the best characteristics of each varietal. They’re both really elegant and well-balanced,” says Sciara.