Sonoma County winemakers take a chance on uncommon varietals

In Sonoma County, a growing number of winemakers are looking to uncommon varietals to diversify their vineyards and catch the consumer’s eye.|

SARAH DOYLE

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

November 30, 2022

Rare varietal vineyards to know

Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard, Russian River Valley

Variety: Trousseau gris

Peter Fanucchi’s trousseau gris vineyard is highly prized among a select few Sonoma County winemakers who are lucky enough to call dibs on the only significant planting in the United States. Native to the Jura region of eastern France, trousseau gris is a color mutation of trousseau noir, which produces clusters in a rainbow of hues: midnight purple, mottled lime green, orange red and dusty plum. And unlike other varieties, macerating the juice on its skins doesn’t render a rosé.

But for Sonoma winemakers like Pax Mahle of Pax Wines, William Allen of Two Shepherds, Mark Porembski of Zeitgeist Cellars and Scott Schultz of Jolie-Laide, that’s a moot point. They’re all drawn to the rare varietal’s unique personality that they each define on their own.

Planted in 1981 by Peter Fanucchi’s father, Arcangelo, the 10-acre Fanucchi-Wood Vineyard is now managed entirely by Peter. Yielding about 6 tons per acre, the highly coveted vines produce fruit for about 10 winemakers who all clamber for their share.

“It’s getting harder and harder to be a small grower like me,” said Fanucchi, who also grows old-vine zinfandel. “I’m the one driving the tractor and doing all the work. But I love working with nature, and with this size vineyard, I’m able to switch gears easily and do what nature demands.”

Juice Beauty Farm (formerly Handal-Denier Vineyard), Dry Creek Valley

Variety: Falanghina

Indigenous to the Campania region of southern Italy, falanghina is a white grape believed to have origins in ancient Rome, where it was used in a popular wine known as Falernian. While it’s extremely rare outside Italy, falanghina is well-suited to the warm, dry climate of Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley, which is where Dick Handal and Lisa Denier planted less than an acre in 2011.

Handal had spent a lot of time in Italy and yearned to plant an Italian varietal in his home vineyard. He’d always enjoyed the bright acid and full flavor of falanghina and thought it could handle the hot climate of western Dry Creek.

“I initially struggled to figure out how the vines wanted to be trellised and pruned,” said Handal, who sourced the budwood from UC Davis Foundation Plant Services. “But it was a great learning experience and well worth it. It’s an extremely rare variety that thrives in the heat and grows huge clusters and a vigorous canopy that helps prevent sunburn.”

In 2016, Arnot-Roberts winery began working with Handal’s falaghina, resulting in a wine with surprisingly fresh, bright acidity given the hot climate.

Recently, the Handal-Dernier vineyard was sold to another family, who have renamed the location Juice Beauty Farm. They say they’re excited to continue to explore the potential of this antique variety.

Red Ranch, Alexander Valley

Variety: Saint-Macaire

Saint-Macaire, an obscure red grape native to Bordeaux, France, is grown in just two spots in the United States, including this half-acre parcel in Alexander Valley. Planted from budwood sourced from O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery in Napa, the Saint-Macaire vines produce dark fruit with firm tannins, high acid and distinct aromas of kalamata olive, sarsaparilla and ginseng.

“The grapes are completely different from anything else I’ve come across,” said winemaker Jeff Hinchliffe, who planted the 600 vines in 2010. “Its color is completely off the charts, and the high tannins almost remind me of a petit verdot.”

Hinchliffe also was struck by how early Saint-Macaire ripens and its ability to retain acidity in the heat, an important consideration with a changing climate. He plans to plant more vines in the future.

“It’s really unique because it doesn’t have any distinct fruit characters that are easy to pinpoint,” Hinchliffe said. “But it offers deliciousness with a different twist.”

Old Hill Ranch, Sonoma Valley

Variety: 30 varieties

The historic vineyard at Old Hill Ranch is a relic of Sonoma County’s past, with the oldest vines planted in 1851. Today, the 12-acre vineyard is overseen by Will Bucklin, whose family farmed the land for generations.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this unique parcel is the field-blend block, which boasts 30 unique grape varieties standing side by side: French colombard, tannat, trouseau, grand noir. Some of these are the only vines of their kind in California, and maybe beyond.

Keeping track of such a kaleidoscope of vines is no easy feat, so Bucklin created an intricate vineyard map denoting the variety of each vine.

This year, Bucklin’s 2019 Ancient Field Blend, Sonoma Valley was listed at No. 35 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2022.

When a ton of aglianico grapes became unexpectedly available in 2007, winemakers Megan and Ryan Glaab jumped at the chance to work with the uncommon Italian variety.

“We had no idea what we were doing at the time,” said Megan Glaab, who runs Ryme Cellars in Healdsburg with Ryan, her husband. “But we’ve always been drawn to southern Italian varieties like aglianico. It has such a compelling structure, with spice, dark fruit and acid that holds its integrity in the heat. It’s what we like to drink.”

That aglianico would become the catalyst for the launch of Ryme Cellars, which focuses on Italian varieties uncommon in California, like vermentino, fiano and ribolla gialla.

“There are at least 600 Italian grape varieties, and I find it very exciting to learn and explore a new flavor profile,” Megan said. “In the tasting room, we commonly host guests who want to try something new. I think people get sick of tasting the same wines all the time.”

Megan said she’s witnessed a big push among winemakers who want to work with less-common wine grapes. She hopes to see plantings continue to diversify.

And developing further diversification in grape varieties could be a useful response to climate change, many growers believe.

“The variety of grapes makes Sonoma County even more interesting,” Megan said. “As the planet warms up, it would be really nice to have new grapes to explore.”

A crowded shelf

In Sonoma County, where chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon amount to three-quarters of the wine produced each year, a growing number of winemakers are looking to uncommon varietals to catch the consumer’s eye on the crowded shelf.

For winemakers like Scott Schultz of Jolie-Laide Wines in Healdsburg, the drive to diversify is strong.

Originally from Chicago, where he worked at high-end restaurants with diverse wine lists, Schultz said he was blown away when he discovered most wine drinkers limit themselves to just a handful of varietals.

“You wouldn’t listen to the exact same music every single day or eat the same food or drink the same drink,” he said. “Why limit yourself to just a few grapes? It’s a big wine world out there.”

At Jolie-Laide, Schultz and his wife and business partner, Jenny Schultz, focus on what they like to drink: fresh, minimally manipulated wines with grapes uncommon in the New World, like trousseau gris, bianchetta trevigiana, cabernet pfeffer and melon de Bourgogne.

Sourcing uncommon varieties can be like a game of hide-and-seek, and the Schultzes often travel to small, faraway vineyards to get fruit.

“When we first started making these wines, many people looked at us sideways,” Scott said. “But we work hard to keep our wines tasting fresh and clean, so that often appeals to people. For those who keep an open mind, they’re often pleasantly surprised.”

Keeping up with climate change

For winemaker Sam Bilbro, producing rare varietal wines isn’t just about satisfying his passion for Piedmontese grape varieties. It’s also about responding to climate change.

At Idlewild Wines in Healdsburg, Bilbro specializes in wines inspired by Italy’s Piedmont region and was happy to discover many of the varieties grow exceptionally well in Northern California. Grapes like aglianico and sagrantino can withstand drought pressures, while other grapes such as barbera, arneis and fiano can maintain acid during a hot growing season.

“Fiano can hold acid better than any chardonnay can,” Bilbro said. “If it comes in with acidity, you don’t have to manipulate it as much in the cellar.”

He also finds some Italian varieties have a lower risk of disease, pests and mildew versus other varieties, which means there is less need for spraying in the vineyard.

Given that most wine sales are driven by consumer demand, Bilbro believes many winemakers are simply unwilling to take a chance on uncommon varietals. That needs to change, he said.

“The weather isn’t just getting warmer — there is more variability,” Bilbro said. “Someday, we might get more rain in the summer or colder winters. Planting more diverse vineyards will allow us to work with nature rather than against it.”

Finding answers through our grape ancestors

At North American Press in Dry Creek Valley, winemaker Matthew Niess’ journey into rare varietals was sparked when he stumbled on an abandoned acre of baco noir grapes on the Sonoma Coast.

While all major European grape varieties — from albariño to zinfandel — are Vitis vinifera, the most commonly cultivated grape species in the world, baco noir is a hybrid of Vitis vinifera and Vitis riparia, an indigenous North American species.

The property’s owner let Niess manage the vineyard. Today Niess uses the fruit to produce a single-varietal bottling called The Rebel.

“When people talk about disease-resistant fruit, this is what they’re talking about,” Niess said. “These vines evolved to grow well here, so they’re naturally disease-resistant. I don’t have to spray them at all. Ever.”

Not only that, Niess discovered the naturally high acid content of baco noir meant he didn’t have to worry as much about balancing the high sugar levels that can come in a hot growing season.

“There is so much diversity on the grape spectrum to play with,” Niess said. “We have at least 20 to 30 native species in the United States alone. Why aren’t we making wine with these?”

Today, Niess owns an experimental vineyard in Dry Creek Valley planted to 40 grape varieties — all hybrids of traditional European Vitis vinifera and native North American species.

“I think grape breeding is going to become much more important moving forward,” Niess said. “Beyond a shadow of a doubt, these hybrids are more robust and many are drought-tolerant. Overall, they’re going to be a more sustainable option.”

You can reach Staff Writer Sarah Doyle at 707-521-5478 or sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com.