Release Reception for New Wines

This release features three new wines – our first wine from Shake Ridge Ranch (2020 Grenache),  a rare bottling of a single varietal Touriga Nacional, and an exciting foray into the world of Petillant Naturel.

We will have food pairings for each wine and our winemaker will be on hand to talk about the new wines. This event is complimentary for active wine club members and their guests. Not open to the general public.

Food pairings will be announced soon.

NOTES ON THE NEW WINES

2021 Petillant Naturel
Ghielmetti Vineyard|Livermore Valley
20 cases
Those of you who’ve visited during harvest have had one of life’s great experiences – a tasting of a young wine towards the end of fermentation. This is a wine that still is slightly sweet and filled with fruit lifted by an effervescence that captures the joy of harvest. Members have asked, ‘is it possible to bottle this wine?’

Yes, with skill it can be bottled – the technique is known as Petillant Naturel, often abbreviated Pet Nat. With Pet Nat, wine is pulled off fermentation and bottled. The fermentation finishes in the bottle, leaving behind the bubbles that we all know and love. However, the devil is in the details, and the results can be highly variable. Some of you may have purchased a pet nat from a small producer, only to have it explode on opening. I often called pet nat a ‘shower’ wine since you often get showered on opening. OUR PET NAT IS NOT ONE OF THESE!

Through skill, practice, and study, Dave created a perfect Pet Nat – a light and fruity wine that creates the perfect soft head of fine bubbles. Scroll down and take a look at the video to see what we mean.

2019 Founder’s Touriga Nacional
Del Arroyo Vineyard|Livermore Valley
98 cases

Very little Touriga is planted in the Livermore AVA – a mere 25 tons in 2019. We find it hard to believe there isn’t more, as the micro-climates in our southern hills support elegant, structured wines from this cultivar.

This floral and mineral-driven wine greets you with pretty violet and black-pepper aromas followed by a rich but sleek texture and an array of blueberry and black fruits.

2020 Founder’s Grenache
Shake Ridge Ranch|Amador County
73 cases
The fruit for this wine was harvested from Shake Ridge Ranch in Amador County. Shake Ridge was planted by Anne Kraemer in the Sierra Foothills on a beautiful, secluded ranch. Small blocks are designated to the ideal variety, rootstock, and trellis system.

The original vineyard was developed in 2003 with wine quality as only consideration from the onset. In 2009 twelve additional acres were planted with the same care and detail for a total of 46 acres of premium vineyards.

The entire ranch is farmed organically, though not certified – using just enough organic fertilizer and compost to support natural growth, utilizing cover crops for both nutrition and erosion control, attacking pests with natural predators and netting before harvest to keep the birds from making a feast of the grapes.

This is a wine that is rich in red fruits and herbs that will elevate any meal.