Dusty Jenkins of Sage Rat Wine
Dusty Jenkins grew up in the Yakima Valley, never imagining he would one day settle there to make wine. He studied film in college, and spent lots of time in dark rooms in New York and elsewhere. He had friends making wine in WA, and their more physical, outdoor life grew increasingly attractive to him with every hour he spent in the dark room. In 2015, Dusty left the film world to enroll in Walla Walla Community College’s Enology and Viticulture Program. Two years later he was Assistant Winemaker at Gilbert Cellars in Yakima, and in 2022 became their head winemaker. While at Gilbert Cellars, he started his own Sage Rat Wine label, the subject of this interview. His goal with this label is to make wines with the “flavor of irreverence and experimentation.” I think you will see from this interview, and even more from tasting his wines, that he has achieved his goal.
Whether white, orange, rosé, sparkling or red, Sage Rat wines are not only irreverent, but also very approachable, food friendly, and affordable. The bottles range in price from $20 to $26, available on the website or in restaurants and shops around Washington state. All Sage Rat wines are made with minimal intervention and little to no additives. Dusty is partial to Italian grape varieties, and makes one of the finest Barbera wines in WA. He also produces unique pét-nat wines, one with Nebbiolo and the other with Barbera. His Rosé is equally unique, showcasing the Spanish variety Graciano. His wine that is most typical of Washington is Scrublands, a twist on the Super Tuscan style, made with 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Sangiovese. These wines are outstanding quality for the money, and meant to be playful, drunk young, and ideal complements to food.
Listen to the Interview: