Soul Squeeze
Week 10 - March 5-11, 2023
These postcards are around the winery, I kept one but I'm not sure why.
Summary
Being named after a Red Hot Chilli Peppers song should be the first clue that Soul Squeeze would like to be in its own category, and it absolutely delivers on this ambition. I was more surprised by this winery than any I have visited. With less than an hour on a Tuesday after work and not having been to this side of the County in a while, plus the fact that no other wineries in this area were open on a Winter Tuesday, landed me at Soul Squeeze Cellars. The tasting room is filled with bright purple, neon green, and co-branded Detroit Pistons merch. There is a cozy sitting room at the back of the tasting room overlooking a massive outdoor games area. This is the first time in this project that I joined a wine club.
Two Wines
2020 Better Angel Gruner Veltliner 🍇🍇
2019 Dr. Red Tail Cabernet Franc 🍇🍇🍇
Note: I asked about Dr. Red Tail - he is a resident of one of the vineyards, a red-tailed hawk named by the owners' children.
TCWY Wine Ratings:
🍇🍇🍇Best of the region (top 10%)
🍇🍇As good as the rest of the region
🍇Not as good as the rest of the region
To learn more about our wine rating system, click here
Something to Love
Soul Squeeze feels like it is trying to challenge every norm about the wine hospitality experience. A friend of mine who worked for specialty food powerhouse Zingerman's once told me that their ethos is that "no detail is too small," and that they attribute their success in part to their willingness to challenge the status quo. Soul Squeeze feels like they are doing that - everything from the bright colors, modern textures, and custom wine glasses is fresh and different. The wine steward informed me that the tasting room's design was inspired by the idea of a pearl inside the oyster - the massive disco ball-esque lighting fixture in the center being the literal interpretation but the vibe being so relaxed it feels like you're along for it too.
Soul Squeeze's custom wineglass is ultra-lightweight and features a cute indentation opposite the logo (Photo: Soul Squeeze)
There is a lot of "12" but I'm here for it for a $12 wine club, 12 wines in 12 months fulfilled anytime
Something to Do
Join the wine club! It costs $12! As noted above, Soul Squeeze does things their own way, and that is any way except the way everyone else does it, and the wine club is no exception. A laundry list of benefits accompanies the low, low price, including one of my very own custom Soul Squeeze wine glass which is now reached for often in my home pours. I bought two bottles immediately, including the 🍇🍇🍇 Cab Franc (one of the best wines I have had so far this year) and the sparkling version of the Better Angel 🍇🍇.
Something to Hope For
Bucking the status quo is inherently risky. Taking a risk is inherently hopeful. Suffice to say that hope is everywhere at Soul Squeeze. I hope that the risks they are taking pay off, and the evidence so far seems pretty good, especially if the excellent quality of the wines, the Pistons partnership, the fact that I've also convinced several of my friends to join this wine club are any indication. I hope that more businesses in our region take a cue from Soul Squeeze and their risks, as the "NIMBY-ism" present in many aspects of the local culture continue to hold us back, and not just in wine. I hope to see more new ideas, more youth, more bright colors, and more attainable wine clubs!
