New Wines Key for Future Growth
October 20, 2016 (Santa Rosa, CA) – Adler Fels has announced that it has completely renovated its established brand with new wines, new packaging and accomplished winemakers, Aaron Bader and Linda Trotta, making their renewed commitment to innovative and world-class winemaking and premium sourcing a reality.
From its perch high on a crest in the Mayacamas Mountains, Adler Fels (German for “Eagle Rock”) has the perfect view of California’s most famous vineyards: from Sonoma to Napa and beyond. “Thirty-five years ago Adler Fels began by crafting award-winning wines through a simple focus: excellent sourcing and a world-class winemaking team that allows the qualities of the grapes to shine through to the glass,” says Bader. “Today we’ve refocused on that vision with new energy – searching out the best vineyards in the best regions, grown by interesting people in interesting places. As winemakers, we’ve been given carte blanche to make wines that really speak to the varietal and the region where the grapes are grown.”
This reenergized vision is marked by the targeted release of the 2014 Pinot Noir, 1,500 cases produced, sourced from the Santa Rita Hills and the Russian River Valley, retailing at $27.99, and the 2015 Chardonnay, 1,000 cases produced, sourced from the Russian River Valley and Monterey County, retailing at $19.99.
Aaron Bader and Pinot Noir go back a long way. While he was still an undergrad at UC Davis, his homemade Pinot Noir won the home winemaking competition at the Napa Town and Country Fair, against some pretty formidable competition. After that, the time he spent working in Monterey gave him plenty of experience with growers and grapes from Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands – hallowed ground for New World Pinot Noir. And, his 2007 Adler Fels Russian River Valley Pinot Noir won the Best of Class Award at the 2009 Sonoma County Harvest Awards – this time against some of the very best professional winemakers in California.
“I’ve always loved Pinot Noir,” says Bader. “First of all for the challenge. Making good Pinot is both a physical and mental exercise. And then it’s so darn delicious. It’s sexy and luscious, with that sweet perfume, a hint of maple syrup, and lush fruit. I never want to taste the tannins in Pinot Noir. They’re like the hem of a coat – it has to be there, but you never want to notice it. What you want is that seductive texture. The aromas are going to be in the fruit, that’s a given. But the texture is where the winemaker has to pay attention. That rich mid-palate has to carry the wine to a long, tapering finish. That makes you want another glass.”
“The Russian River Valley fruit provides structure, red stone fruits of cherry and plum, dried spice and herbs while the Santa Rita Hills fruit lends the “flesh” to this wine’s structure; dark berry notes, softened mid-palate and darker color tones,” says Bader. “The blended wine displays additional characters of dried fruits that were not present in the separate lots of grapes; a result of the synergistic effect of combining these two lots. The oak influence on the wine is wonderfully integrated; subtle notes of dusty oak, reminiscent of forest floor along with subtle vanillin notes. It is a wine of balance and finesse.”
Linda Trotta is in love with Chardonnay – a particular kind of Chardonnay. “So often, Chardonnay is defined by stylistic extremes. I find it far more interesting to tease out the nuances of the variety by crafting a wine that offers layers of fruit lifted by a balanced acidity, with warmth, length and a lusciousness that defies definition.”
“I have been fortunate enough to taste Chardonnays made by some of the greatest producers in the world,” she says. “And what inspires me, more than anything else, is when the intensity and power of Chardonnay fruit is expressed through a style defined by refinement and delicacy. I strive for a wine that is delicious, refreshing, and so intriguing as to invite you back for sip after sip.”
She begins with grapes from the Russian River Valley, for their crisp acidity and structure. “Those grapes give the wine life,” Trotta says. “They bring green apple and juicy citrus characters. I combine this with select lots from Monterey, which are more mineral driven with tropical notes. The Monterey fruit also brings warmth and body, filling out the wine perfectly. The result is a Chardonnay that is delicious when you first open the bottle, and each sip shows a little bit more, changing and developing in the glass as you drink it.”
About Adler Fels – www.adlerfels.com
Adler Fels, an icon in California winemaking history, has been producing award-winning wines for over thirty-five vintages. The 2016 releases mark the rebirth of Adler Fels and its focus on artisan wines with intense varietal character, crafted by renowned winemakers Aaron Bader and Linda Trotta.
