Art and Wine Collide in the 2019 Eric Kent Wines “Emanation”

Eric Kent Wines is a small production label based in Sonoma County that produces cool climate wines. The brand is co-owned by both winemaker Kent Humphrey and his partner in wine, and in life, Colleen Teitgen. Together, with Eric’s sister, Renee, who is the third partner, they have made Eric Kent Wines one of the hottest under-the-radar brands in Sonoma. 

It’s not unheard of to learn that some wine lovers don’t make the leap to try their hand at actual winemaking until they’ve experimented with a few other jobs first. But, having said that, many who take this road do so before they hit their thirties. But not Kent Humphrey. He didn’t work his first harvest until he was 33 years old!

After that first harvest, Kent was hooked, and in 2003 he and Colleen both left their jobs (he in academia, and she as an artist), and they jumped feet first into the wine industry.

What makes Eric Kent Wines Unique?

Besides crafting great small batch wines, the thing that distinguishes Eric Kent Wines from other similarly styled producers is the brand’s labels. Before becoming a winemaker, Eric was first an academic on his way to being a tenured professor in French Literature, and later a man of the advertising world. Colleen was making her way through art school where she studied photography and painting. Both Eric and Colleen are passionate about art, and supporting local artists, so when they formed their brand, one of the core components was partnering with local artists to collaborate on label art.

Since the brand’s launch, Eric Kent Wines has worked with over 100 artists! None of the work is commissioned, and the artists are free to interpret the wine as they see fit to create a completely authentic visual experience.

Wines in the Portfolio

The portfolio of Eric Kent Wines is focused on French varieties. In addition to red blends like “Emanation”, you will also find Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and rose that is released in the spring. All of the growers and vineyards that the winery works with are located in Sonoma County. 

How to reserve an Eric Kent wine tasting

One of the biggest barriers that smaller producers face is having a brick and mortar wine tasting space. We cannot tell you how many times we have discovered a boutique wine producer whose wines we fall in love with, only to discover that they don’t have a tasting room where we can try their current lineup. We are so happy to report that if you find yourself just as intrigued by Eric Kent’s wines as we are, there’s not one, but two spaces that this winery holds public tastings. 

If you find yourself in Sebastopol, California, head to Region Wine Bar. Region is sort of like a wine tasting co-op. The space features 25 micro-wine producers, each of which have about three different bottlings available to try.

The second Eric Kent “tasting room” is located in Jenner, California, which is about 45 minutes north of Sebastopol. Jenner’s Tasting by the Sea Wine Bar features a few by the glass offerings, as well as small bites.