Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! founder Hardy Wallace says that wine is like a spaceship that takes you beyond the known universe to places you can’t wait to talk about. So as the sunsets on California Wine Month, I’m getting extra dimensional — what better way but to celebrate with truly out of this world wines from Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! wines aim to supply pure California Energy to those who wish to imbibe beyond the known universe.

Winemaker Hardy Wallace moved to the west coast and into wine in 2009, founded revolutionary Dirty and Rowdy soon after and made wine there for 12 years building up to worldwide distribution of 4500-6500 cases, with 2020 his final vintage. They were at the top of their game, says Hardy, but given the opportunity to start over, he did.

With wife Kate Graham, Hardy created Extradimensional Wine Co Yeah! with a new light filled tasting room with exceptional glassware in Sonoma. A big difference? A focus on unusual blends: after so many years of hard work “in order for us to make wine in a minimalist style may require more blending,” he said. It makes no sense some years to make a single varietal, he said.

“It is rare for us to make the same wine,” Hardy said. “Our job is to make the best wine every year” not make the same wine.  

Wallace sees wine as a vehicle for transformation. At Yeah!, Wallace focuses on non-traditional blends made with pristine fruit sourced from organically, sustainably, and impeccably farmed older vines from historic vineyards in lesser-known California regions.

“I have a ton of old vines,” Hardy told us. “I really like old vines.” 

He specializes in California Mourvèdre from wide ranging vineyards, with a particular passion for volcanic soils, and seeks lesser known grape varieties that speak to the soul. To get the highest quality, he says, “we work in nine counties” of California.

Since his first commercial vintage in 2010, Wallace has championed a low intervention, natural wine style. Yeah! wines are ethereal yet grounded, light yet weighty in impact. He makes food friendly wines that inspire contemplation and conversation. 2022 was his most difficult year with 2023 was his best vintage ever.

Most wines are only a few barrels so 100 cases or so, and come from 15 different AVAs spread across California. They make about 1500-200 cases a year and generally have 10 or more wines available– until they sell out that is! 

Back in April when I went to Sonoma to attend the Garagiste Festival there, I stopped in to see Hardy who I first met back in 2008 at the first Wine Bloggers Conference, and I tasted my first orange wine which was also his at an after party in Walla Walla in 2010.  He also got the job I was going for; read more about that here. 

Sonoma Wine Guy Jim Morris says, “Kate and Hardy are the heartbeat of pure joy in the wine world!” I agree! There’s something out of this world going on with Extradimensional Wine Co Yeah! Check them out!

Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Wines

• 2022 MIND LEFT BODY MOURVÈDRE

• 2022 PARTIAL ECLIPSE RED BLEND

• 2022 MOUNTAIN ECHOES ORANGE

Menu

• Crostinis with smoked egg salad, spinach artichoke dip, nasturtium pesto, tapenade, bruschetta
• Ceasar salad with roast chicken 
• Home grown tomatoes and basil salad

2022 MOUNTAIN ECHOES ORANGE, Chalone AVA

• SRP $45
• ABV 13%
• Grapes: 65% Chardonnay, 25% blend of Chenin, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, 10% Mourvèdre, Primitivo Rosé
• 99 cases
• Purchased in the tasting room with an industry discount 

True to his passions and convictions, the Mountain Echoes Orange is a small production of only 99 cases of a rather radical blend of organic grapes from two vineyards in the Chalone AVA in central California that spent 45 days on the skins: 65% Mariana’s Vineyard Chardonnay, 25% Brosseau White Blend Chenin, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, 10% Shake Ridge Ranch Mourvèdre, Primitivo Rosé. I loved this wine so much I bought two bottles — one to share with Sue and one for me to cellar and enjoy in a few years! I love orange wine — and this is my favorite by far! More chardonnay should be made into orange wine!

Skin contact for 45 days imbues the wine with a golden, cloudy orange matching the color of the California bear on the label. Aromas of fresh juicy apricot, citrus blossom, fennel, and chamomile invite a palate of tart tangerine, orange bitters, green tea, minerals, and more fresh apricot. 

Appearance:  Amber, golden, orange, a bit cloudy, matches the California bear on the label.

Aroma: Apricot, orange blossom, fennel, chamomile, salinity, as the wine opens up in the glass the apricot ripens and is so fresh and juicy, 

Palate: Tart tangerine, orange bitters, green tea, apricot, very fresh apricot, minerality.  

Pairing: Great with the caesar salad as the wine responds to the many layered flavors in the salad. Great with the pesto and the olive tapanede as this wine loves salty foods. The spinach artichoke dip was so nice with the wine, while the egg salad was fine but needed cavier or uni to take it over the top. The olives with a bit of lemon and spice were absolutely perfect with the wine. The wine is like a chameleon with food! The sweet homegrown tomatoes and basil were in perfect harmony with the wine.

2022 MIND LEFT BODY MOURVÈDRE, Contra Costa AVA

• SRP $47 
• ABV 13%
• Grapes: organic 75% Mourvèdre, 15% Zinfandel, 10% Chardonnay
  
• 125 cases
• Purchased in the tasting room with an industry discount 

APPELLATION: Contra Costa County
VINEYARD Evangelho, AT, Mariana’s
SOIL Sand, Alluvial, Sandstone

 A very vibrant pretty pour of slightly cloudy cranberry and aromas of raspberry, violet, sandalwood, amber, cinnamon, carnation present a palate of light, elegant raspberry leaf tea, tart cherry, and church incense with  balanced tannins and acidity.

Appearance:  Very pretty pouring out of the bottle, cranberry to violet, pink rim, very vibrant, a bit cloudy, medium density

Aroma: Raspberry, violet, sandelwood, amber, cinnamon, carnation, 

Palate: Light and elegant, raspberry, tart cherry, church incense, raspberry leaf tea, very dry, balanced tannins and acidity, 

Pairing: We enjoyed the smoked egg salad with this wine, very nice with the rich spinach artichoke dip, but the fresh garlic in both the bruschetta and the pesto was a bit overwhelming for the wine. The salinity in the tapenade brought out lovely fruit in the wine. Very nice with the caesar salad especially if you have a bite with the roast chicken in it. 

2022 PARTIAL ECLIPSE RED BLEND

SRP $45 (purchased with an industry discount)
ABV 12.7% 
Organic Grapes: 45% Mourvèdre, 15% Old Vine Petite Sirah, 15 % Old Vine Carignane, 10% Old Vine Zinfandel, 10% Primitivo
97 cases

On Volcanic, Gravelly Loam soils grow Shake Ridge Ranch and Pallini in Mendocino and the Sierra Foothills to make up this wine:  45% Shake Ridge Ranch Mourvèdre, 15% Mendocino Old Vine Petite Sirah, 15 % Mendocino Old Vine Carignane, 10% Mendocino Old Vine Zinfandel, 10% Shake Ridge Ranch Primitivo.

Hardy says the wine has “a core of bleakness” and it’s a “meeting of light and dark.”

Cherry koolaid in color with a pink rim and heady aromas of cherry pipe tobacco, church incense, mulberry, cedar, and potpourri highlight a vibrant, rich, lively palate of  tart cherry, boysenberry, blueberry, redwood duff, and orange oil.

Appearance:  Cherry koolaid, ruby with a pink rim, medium density

Aroma: Cherry pipe tobacco, boysenberry, mulberry,  cedar, cigar box, rose potpourri, pine lumbar, church incense, heady and rich.

Palate: Tart cherry, boysenberry, blueberry, bright acidity, earthen, redwood, orange oil, rich and lively, alive and vibrant, salinity.

Pairing: Great with the garlic in the caesar and loves the kick of the chicken bringing out the fruit in the wine, lovely with the olive tapenade loving the salinity in the food. We thought it would be great with any dish that has olives like puttanesca. It worked well with the spinach artichoke dip, and just beautiful with the tomato bruschetta.