In Total, More Than Fifty Cases of Petaluma Gap Wine Will Be Auctioned on June 16-18
Petaluma, CA, June 1, 2020 — Beginning on June 16, 2020, members of the trade are invited to bid on several Sonoma County Barrel Auction lots made from grapes grown in the Petaluma Gap American Viticultural Area (AVA). Two of these auction lots are collaborative efforts with winemakers from multiple Petaluma Gap wineries. Four additional lots are made exclusively from Petaluma Gap grapes and crafted by winemakers at Gary Farrell, Guarachi Family, Keller Estate and Montagne Russe.
‘Second Wind,’ (Lot 50) is a collaboration between Kerith Overstreet (Bruliam Wines), Erica Stancliff (Trombetta Family Wines), Robert Schermeister (Schermeister Winery), Megan Brodie (Karah Estate) and Julien Teichmann/Ana Keller (Keller Estate); it features Pinot Noir grown at five different vineyard sites, including Sangiacomo Roberts Road, Terra de Promissio, Karah Estate, Gap’s Crown and Keller Estate. Ten cases will be produced.
“The name, ‘Second Wind,’ celebrates the second anniversary of the AVA approval. For us as winemakers, it is also an in-depth exercise to discover the nuances of each region of the Petaluma Gap. These five sites share the wind, however the variations in the grapevine clones and soils allowed us to create a balanced, elegant, cellar-worthy wine that will age beautifully. All of the collaborating winemakers know their sites well, making the blending session a celebration of our entire region. Our lot includes a future in-person tasting with the winning bidder,” said Ana Keller, who directed the collaborative blending sessions.
A second collaborative lot, ‘Côte Venteux,’ (Lot 70) is a team-effort between Cameron Frey (Ramey Wine Cellars), Tom Gendall (Cline Cellars), Garrett Martin (Adobe Road Winery) and Shane Finley (Thirty-Seven Wines); it features ten cases of Syrah made from grapes grown at four different vineyard sites including Rodger’s Creek, Griffin’s Lair, Catapult Ranch and Paradise Vineyards. “Over an intense blending session, four winemakers discovered the best blend to complement each other’s wines, providing an ideal balance between structure and elegance. ‘Côte Venteux’ deftly balances fruit richness with the more savory, cold-climate notes that are typical of these sites in our region. Black cherry, crunchy red fruits, cloves, new leather, licorice, spice and black pepper all run through this super-expressive, brooding Syrah that has freshness, verve and focus,” said Tom Gendall, winemaker at Cline Cellars.
The Petaluma Gap AVA includes some 80 winegrowers and a dozen wineries, with additional fruit sold to many other wineries throughout northern California. For more information see www.petalumagap.com.
About the Alliance
Founded in 2005, the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance (PGWA) exists to educate members of the wine trade and consumers about the Petaluma Gap and to increase awareness of the region’s unique growing conditions and resulting wine quality. PGWA additionally supports member winegrowers and vintners within the region through ongoing programs and communications designed to help them maximize their success within the industry. The group’s membership is made up of grape growers, wineries, associate business members, sponsors and local community members with a passion for the region and its wine. Throughout the year, the group conducts educational events and tastings independently and through the Sonoma County Vintners.
