There is something refreshing about a mom and pop type wines. There is always a bit of a the unknown. You may stumble across some of the best wine you’ve ever had, it may be pedestrian, or even bad; it’s all part of the charm.

Engelmann Cellars has the feel of a mom and pop organization, the first ones to greet you are Lacey & Cira, a mutt and Chow respectively. Lacey is a wanderer, a quick hello and then you may not see her again. Cira likes to hang around, see what’s happening and make herself available for a good rub. Yes, Engelmann Cellars, which sits within what used to be, and is practically now almost entirely, raisin grapes in west Fresno, has the feel of a mom and pop shop. What with its old barn (where the wine ages in American, French, & Hungarian oak barrels), a windmill welcoming visitors as they drive up, a simple, but nice sitting area, and a large grassy park where films are shown during the summer months, Engelmann Cellars is everything you’d expect if you wandered away from the staples of wine country, (the Mondovis, Meridians, the CIA (Culinary Institute of America)) and stumbled upon a small winery that only gets visitors by accident. Engelmann Cellars feels like a mom and pop, but it tastes like the big boys.

Bret Engelmann started Engelmann Cellars in 2000 after spending a few years making wine in massive quantities for a huge label. He was the first of the vaunted Fresno Sate Enology program to start his own label in the Fresno area. He started fast, less than a decade in and Engelmann Cellars has 12 wines with a few more planned for the near future, as well as a second label, fondly called Copa Da Cira (Cira being the sun god, so it would be Cup of the sun god, not of the dog), after a certain chow of the same name.

Engelmann wines range from a white with the heart of a good medium bodied red to a full-bodied Zin that is everything you want in a Zin and more.

Engelmann’s wines (all varietals) are strong throughout. The small town feel doesn’t translate to a hit-and-miss wine tasting experience. Although, being that Bret blends vintages only sparingly you still get the charm of one vintage being all its own, rather than tasting like last year’s, and last year’s like the year before, which is the standard m.o. of many of the big labels.

If you like white wines, but wish there was more complexity to them, the Summer Quartet is one you must try. Consisting of a Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Muscat blend the wine starts spicy, moves into the characteristic butteriness of a Chardonnay and finishes with a hint of ripe fruit from the Muscat. The Cab grapes don’t provide much if anything in the way of taste, but they do give the wine the nice mouth feel of a fuller bodied wine. Engelmann also has a Quartet R.S. (residual sugar) that has the same characteristics as the Summer Quartet, but a sweetness that should appeal to White Zin drinkers.

The Rio Samba, which is a dry Rose, is light as you’d expect (not weighed down by tannins), not heavy on the fruit, but complex enough to make it a great wine to sip while sitting around a table with friends. The Gravel Pit Syrah, apply named for the vineyard where the fruit comes from, an old gravel pit along the San Joaquin river, is what you’d expect from a Syrah, probably Engelmann’s most standard wine, a wine you’d expect from a label like Meridian.

Engelmann’s two Cabernet wines will more than satisfy the wine drinker that wants the big wines. The Cabernet Sauvignon is fruity, lingers a bit, and is one you can definitely taste with your nose. Even though it has some kick, the acid levels seem to be low, so for those of you who like a red wine, but tend to get the red wine heartburn, well, this wine may be a lifesaver. The Cabernet Shiraz, though not as big as the Cab Sauv, holds its own. It is not as fruity as the Cab Sauv, but it is still plenty complex. It has the punch of the Cab and finishes smooth.

The V.O.V. Zinfandel (very old vine—pre-prohibition in fact) is much lighter than you’d expect from a Zin. And, though it may be approachable for non-Zin drinkers it may disappoint those who like a characteristic Zin. And if you do, the Clark Ranch Zinfandel is the wine for you. With all the subtlety of…well…something that is full of flavor and not subtle at all. This Zin is the way Zins should be. It is a massive wine that carries itself well with its rich flavors, fruity (Bret says blueberries, but I’m not sure), but it doesn’t rely on it. It is round, rich, & smooth.

Engelmann Cellars’ wines can be found at Whole Foods, Catalano’s, Old Doc’s, Bev Mo, Vino 100, Bentley, and select Save Marts. Ask for them next time you’re having a meal at Lime Lite, Campagnia, Fleming’s, or Lantana’s. Engelmann wines range from $14 to $18 for their gold label wines and $26 to $28 for their platinum series.