Bonterra’s Bonvino
NICHOLEBIRDSALL,
assistant winemaker at Bonterra Vineyards of Mendocino
County in California, was part of the massive annual
pilgrimage to the this year’s Boston Wine Expo, affording an
opportunity to taste and discuss the wines she helps
conceive and produce. Lovely wines and reasonably priced,
they are worth sharing by means of this
communication.
The wines have
another distinction. They are all organically grown and
processed. In fact, Bonterra, McNab and Butler ranches are
already biodynamically certified. I don’t know that these
practices specifically make the wines taste better, but they
do indicate that the land is not being abused and that the
growers and winemakers are laudably attentive to detail.
Witness, as one example, the use of a mobile chicken coop
pulled here and there in the vineyard so that the nonunion
chickens eat bugs and fertilize soil where needed, obviating
the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers. Rent-free
housing is provided for bluebirds and swallows, which also
dine on insects. (Wine is not offered.) Surprisingly, once
established, organic farming’s operating costs are not
higher than those of conventional viticulture.
Bonterra
Vineyards was established in the early 199Os under the aegis
of Fetzer Vineyard. Both are now part of the Brown-Forman
empire, which has fostered the hands-on careful wine
growing. Other than a muscat vineyard (Bartolucci) in Lake
County, virtually all the vineyards are in Mendocino County.
Bonterra has exclusive use of about 25O acres of organic
vineyard, and may use some organically grown grapes of
Brown-Forman’s other vineyards.
Bonterra now
produces about 18O,OOO cases annually. In addition to the
wines we shall taste, Zinfandel is made, but currently all
sent to England. (About a third of Bonterra’s total
production is exported to the UK.) A gradual introduction of
Zinfandel is planned for the US. A “super-premium”
Bordeaux-type blend is also in the incubator, for which the
consultive services of former Chateau Latour oenologist
Christian LeSummer have been retained. Bob Blue is
Bonterra’s winemaker; Dave Koball the vineyard steward. All
aim to achieve a mutually enhancing marriage with
food.
LET’S
DISCUSS THE INDIVIDUAL WINES AND VICARIOUSLY TASTE
THEM.
All are of
Mendocino appellation except the Muscat.
ROUSSANNE
2OO4 This grape in
partnership with marsanne gives one of the world’s greatest
and least appreciated white wines, Hermitage Blanc, but is
otherwise almost unknown outside the Rhone. 662 cases
produced. Contains 5 percent Viognier. Good ripeness, yet
abundant acid – hard to accomplish. Some barrel fermentation
and 4 months in neutral oak; most in stainless steel. No
malolactic fermentation. Lively balanced wine, with a bit of
spritz (CO2 bubbled at bottling), mineral notes, good fruit
and finish. Very nice as aperitif or with raw shellfish.
$17
VIOGNIER
2OO4 From another
Rhone expatriate, with easier passage. 34OO cases. Contains
4 percent Roussanne. Just a bare touch of French oak. No
malolactic. A little softer and more flowery than the
Roussanne. Balanced and very long. Better with crab cakes
than Roussanne on the one hand, and Chardonnay on the other.
$17
CHARDONNAY
2OO4 Quite a
bargain. 76 percent fermented in barrel (most of which went
through malolactic), and aged in small oak 7 months: some in
new (7 percent), some in one-year (24 percent) French oak;
the rest in neutral wood or stainless steel. Small nose.
Tasty fruit. Balanced and long, with oak just right. Fine
with food. $13
MERLOT
2OO2 12,234 cases.
Contains a little Cabernet Sauvignon. Mostly from McNab
Ranch. Matured in a mixture of French and American oak. Good
dark berry fruit and length. $15 to $17
CABERNET
SAUVIGNON 2OO2
24,593 cases. Contains a dollop of Syrah. Oak treatment
similar to the Merlot’s – 14 months in French and American
oak barrels, some new, some once-used, some neutral. Juicy
fruit, long finish. Tannins affable. Varietal nose and
mouth. $15 to $17
SYRAH
2OO2 This
well-known Rhone roamer seems to have succeeded everywhere.
22OO cases. Contains 11 percent Petite Sirah (often added to
Syrah and to Zinfandel in California for complexity) and 3
percent Viognier (taking a page from Cote Rotie, for an
elegant floral note). 15 months in French oak: 35 percent
new, 16 percent once-used. The elements of this wine are
well integrated. Plenty of flavor. Full and balanced. To
accompany boldly flavored meats, eg, backyard barbecue.
$17
MUSCAT
2OO4 From muscat
cannelli grown in Lake County at Bartolucci Vineyard. 342
cases of twelve 375s. Cold fermentation in stainless steel
is stopped by centrifugation, chilling and a little SO2 to
reserve the sugar. 9 percent alcohol; 8.3 percent residual
sugar perfectly balanced with acid (pH 3.1, total acidity
O.74) and mouth-watering muscat citrusy fruit. Light and
happy wine. It’s a good thing the alcohol concentration is
low, for it’s so easy to gulp down. Use as aperitif or as a
refreshing close to dinner, or with Chinese food, or sip it
with cookies and fruit, or sip it solo. $14/375
ml
BONTERRA WINES
ARE NO RISK TO PALATE OR POCKETBOOK.
