Matt Niess founded North American Press, Sonoma Coast California’s only winery exclusively working with native American and hybrid grape varieties. A former professional cook and structural engineer, Matt’s unconventional path led him to question traditional California viticulture after nearly a decade making prestigious Pinot Noir at Radio-Coteau. Recently named one of Wine Enthusiast’s “Future 40” tastemakers for 2024, he’s pioneering a new vision of American wine that champions both environmental stewardship and forgotten grape varieties.
Media Inquiries: Matt@NorthAmericanPress.wine | https://northamericanpress.wine/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
I am proudly resurrecting California’s forgotten viticultural heritage. In 2019, standing in a small plot of Baco Noir planted in the 1960s by an Italian immigrant named Domenico Callegari – I realized I was holding onto a thread of California wine history that was nearly lost. Before Prohibition, California grew many American and hybrid grape varieties. I’ve now reintroduced Catawba back to California after its last vineyard was pulled out in the 1960s, and I’m working to preserve other heritage varieties that tell the true story of American wine, including Lenoir and Isabella. This
isn’t just about making wine differently – it’s about challenging the narrative that fine California wine must come from European grapes. Every bottle from North American Press celebrates the indigenous grapes that were here long before the first European vines arrived.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
I would devote myself to creating truly authentic California wines using wild hybrid grapes native to our state. Throughout California, there are naturally occurring hybrid varieties growing without any human intervention – no sprays, no irrigation, perfectly adapted to our climate and soils. I dream of seeking out these wild vines, studying their potential for winemaking, and establishing vineyards of the most promising varieties. While I’ve already begun this work on a small scale, with unlimited resources I would expand this exploration throughout California’s diverse regions. The
goal would be to produce hyper-regional wines that capture a genuine sense of place – wines that could only come from California because they’re made from grapes that evolved here. These wouldn’t just be California wines because they’re grown here; they would be California wines because they’re fundamentally of here, expressing our state’s natural viticultural heritage in its purest form.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
“The Rebel” Baco Noir embodies everything North American Press stands for. Made from a hybrid grape planted by an Italian immigrant who defied convention, this wine grows in a fog-swept vineyard surrounded by some of Sonoma’s most prestigious Pinot Noir plantings. Yet unlike their neighbors, these vines are dry-farmed and have never needed a single chemical spray in over 60 years. The wine itself challenges preconceptions about hybrid grapes – it’s complex and age-worthy, showing that these overlooked varieties can produce world-class wines when grown in premium sites and treated with respect. Read The Rebel wine review by clicking here.
Bonus Question: What are your wholehearted convictions related to the wine business?
The wine industry must confront its environmental impact. We can’t keep pretending that farming European grapes with intensive chemical and water usage is sustainable in a changing climate. There’s a better way forward that embraces our native grape species while creating safer working conditions for vineyard workers and healthier ecosystems for everyone.