Ryme Cellars "Las Brisas Vineyard" Pinot Noir '17

Ryme Cellars' begins as a love story - between two people falling in love with not only one another, but with winemaking. And what could be better than making wine with your loved one? For a wine shop, we couldn't ask for anything more romantic! After Ryan and Megan Glaab met while working for Torbreck in Australia. Since then, between the two of them, they've gained experience working at wineries such as Pax Wine Cellars, Peay Vineyards, Sine Qua Non, and Marcassin. And since 2007, Ryme Cellars has been their joint venture. The project began with Aglianico and has since expanded to include other various Italian varietals as well as the great grapes of California, such as Pinot Noir. With old world sensibilities and respect for the nuances of California terroir, Ryme Cellars represents what we consider "new California winemaking." Initial criteria is based on exposition of where the vines will show their greatest potential, starting first and foremost with its respective terroir. What is mandatory, is that the vineyards they work with are farmed sustainably and organically, which is reflective in their practices in the winery as well. From an old California selection in Carneros of Sonoma County, Las Brias Vineyard farmer Francis Mahoney has been cultivating Pinot Noir since the 1960s. The cold and windy Las Brisas Vineyard at the edge of the southern Carneros appellation produces a Pinot Noir that is all about elegance. The wine is produced from the Swan clone and the Gamay Beaujolais clone of Pinot Noir. The former is spicy and savory. The Pinot clone from Beaujolais is not Gamay, but in fact a clone that was very popular in California decades ago. It is a very juicy and fruity clone that makes up the textural core of this wine. The wine is made with natural yeasts, sees a brief amount of time in old French barrique and is unfined/unfiltered. This is dark fruit oriented with hints of baking spices, with delicate tannins and great length on the palate. Despite the richness of fruit, the wine is very supple and has remarkable freshness with modest alcohol content. This will make for an excellent food wine, without a doubt.