Ok, so this is a fun one. What is a garagiste?
Garagiste, is a French term and is generally accepted to mean something along the lines of being a home winemaker. Over the years, the term Gargiste has taken on a slightly different meaning here in America. Instead of simply a home winemaker, Gargiste has come to include those who make wine commercially, but in very small amounts.
New winemakers, making only a few hundred, or a thousand (or several thousand) cases a year are largely considered Garagistes, even if they’re making wine at a custom crush, or in some other rented space agreement.
There’s a few festivals featuring Garagistes around the country and if they’re a near tasting, they are well worth a visit.