philosophy
adventurous wines from places with untold stories…
We focus on making fresh, complex, free-spirited wines that capture the magic of the Sierra Foothillls. Working with high-elevation vineyards from El Dorado County, we craft small-lot wines made with love and a light touch in Napa. Our wines are fermented whole cluster with native yeast, aged in neutral oak or stainless steel barrels, and bottled unfined / unfiltered with minimal sulfur.
Seriously good wines made by people who don’t take themselves too seriously.
current releases
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Inspired by:
Drinking textural white wines on our honeymoon and adventures across the world. This wine is meant for spontaneous adventures, moments of whimsy, and taking a leap of faith.
Smells like:
pineapple upside down cake x plumeria x coconut x a poolside mai tai
Tastes like:
key lime pie x cinnamon x macadamia nut
Sounds like:
Heart of Gold, Ilsey and Bon Iver
Technical Info:
Vineyard - Camino Alto, El Dorado County
Vineyard Elevation - 2750’ Ft.
Harvest Date - September 17th
Winemaking - 100% Whole Cluster, 7 Day Carbonic Maceration, Direct to Press, Native Yeast Fermented, Bottled Unfined + Unfiltered
Aging - Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - February 24th, 2025 (Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 2 Barrels
Alcohol % - 11.8
Label Notes:
Location - Cassis, France
Flower - Krantz Aloe
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Inspired by:
Our honeymoon in Cassis + the South African tradition of sundowners
A moment to pause and reflect on the beauty around you as the sun slips beneath the horizon.
Smells like:
passion fruit x orange blossom x jasmine x lemon verbena
Tastes like:
dried mango x thai basil x lime zest
Sounds like:
Let It Grow, Bombargo
Technical Info:
50% Mourvèdre | 25% Cinsault | 25% Grenache
Vineyards - Veerkamp, El Dorado County
Vineyard Elevation - 1750 Ft
Harvest Date - August 21st, 2024
Winemaking -100% Whole Cluster, 25% Foot Stomped, Native Yeast Fermented
Aging - 100% Stainless Steel
Bottling Date - February 24th, 2025 (Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 2 Barrels
Alcohol % - 11.2
Label Notes:
Location - Chapman's Peak, Cape Town
Flower - Pincushion Protea
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Inspired by:
'Jakkels trou met wolf se vrou'
A natural phenomenon when it rains while the sun is shining, often when the atmosphere around you is unstable. Find beauty in the moments that challenge you.Smells like:
strawberry x mint x rooibos tea x wet river rock
Tastes like:
raspberry jolly rancher x pine needles x passion fruit
Sounds like:
Strawberries (Wax Remix), Caamp
Technical Info:
48% Mourvèdre | 33% Gamay Noir | 10% Cinsault | 9% Grenache
Vineyards -Fenaughty, Futernick, Veerkamp, El Dorado County
Vineyard Elevation - 1750 - 2860 Ft.
Harvest Date - Aug 21, 26, + Sept 9
Winemaking -100% Whole Cluster, 7 Day Carbonic Maceration, Direct to Press, Native Yeast Fermented
Aging - 100% Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - February 24th, 2025 (Bottled Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 4 Barrels
Alcohol % - 11.7
Label Notes:
Location - Eagle Rock, Lake Tahoe
Flower - Disa
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Inspired By:
Our first date wine back in 2011.
Mourvèdre shines in the volcanic and granitic soils of this high elevation region, surrounded by Ponderosa Pines and manzanita. Whole cluster fermentation and extended maceration showcase its full potential.
Smells like:
raspberry x thyme x coriander x blood orange
Tastes like:
alpine strawberry x rosemary x pomegranate x biltong
Sounds like:
Soulshine, The Allman Brothers Band
Technical Info:
90% Mourvèdre | 10% Syrah
Vineyards - Goldbud, Fenaughty, Camino Alto, & Futernick in El Dorado County
Vineyard Elevation - 2730 - 2860 Ft.
Harvest Date - Sept 22nd & Oct 1st, 2023
Winemaking - 100% Whole Cluster, Foot Stomped
Aging - Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - June 21st, 2024 (Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 2 Barrels
Alcohol % - 13.1
Label Notes:
Location - Glacier National Park, Montana
Flower - King Protea
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Inspired by:
Alpine lakes, craggy peaks, and getting off the grid…
The Barsotti Family have farmed their small slice of heaven since 1976. Gamay Noir excels in the rare Musick pink decomposed granite soils of this cold ravine site.
Technical Info:
Vineyard - Barsotti, El Dorado County
Vineyard Elevation - 2700 Ft.
Harvest Date - October 3rd, 2023
Winemaking - 100% Whole Cluster, Foot Stomped, Native Yeast Fermented
Aging - Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - June 21st, 2024 (Bottled Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 2 Barrels
Alcohol % - 12.1
Label Notes:
Location - Lake Aloha, Desolation Wilderness
Flower - Golden Spiderhead Protea
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Inspired by:
The Krutsingers' profound commitment to holistic farming coupled with a deep affection for the underdog
A chance tasting of a Charbono made by Bertus led to the development of this regenatively farmed vineyard that we were fortunate to help plant.
Technical Info:
Vineyard - Krutsinger Family Farms, Sierra Foothills AVA
Vineyard Elevation - 2200 Ft.
Harvest Date - September 16th, 2023
Winemaking - 100% Whole Cluster, Foot Stomped, Native Yeast Fermented
Aging - Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - June 21st, 2024 (Bottled Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 1 Barrel
Alcohol % - 10.8
Label Notes:
Location - Tunnel View, Yosemite
Flower - Black Bearded Sugarbush Protea
our labels
designed by Rohan Etsebeth
Inspired by our field journals, our labels represent our love of the outdoors and drinking wine in the wilderness.
They feature a native South African flower (a nod to Bertus’ roots) and snapshots of some of our favorite places from years of backpacking, road-tripping, and getting wonderfully lost.
We hope they remind you to go out and do what you love, always with a bottle of wine in tow.
Rohan resides in Stellenbosch, South Africa (where Bertus met him in college) and has his own graphic design firm.
REGION +
GROWERS
mountains. vineyards. adventure.
el dorado county
Where our two great joys, the Mountains + the Vineyards, come together.
With a storied history full of pioneers looking to strike it rich and those who kept them well hydrated, El Dorado County embodied everything the “wild west” was known for, and in many ways it still does. The first vines were planted in 1849 and a thriving wine industry reached its peak in 1904 with 2000 acres of vineyards. After the gold rush went bust, and prohibition went into effect, people started fleeing the area for city life and the wine industry all but vanished. Lucky for us, a new wave of pioneers ventured back to the area in the 1970’s determined to unearth the potential of the land.
regional facts
01.
elevation
Vines are planted between 1,200 - 3,200 ft, which creates numerous microclimates
02.
climate
Cooled by elevation, thermal updrafts pulled from the west in the AM and cool downdrafts in the PM
03.
soil
With an abundance of Volcanic + Granitic soils, wines of intensity and finesse are produced
04.
waterways
Surrounded by rivers and lakes, the county is carved by powerful bodies of water
Ron + Chuck | Goldbud Vineyard | January 2019
our growers
ron and chuck mansfield
One moment you may find yourself discussing the nuances of the various soil types in the area and the next you pivot to talking about the aging potential of Bandol rosé. Then suddenly, you are eating the most incredible peach of your life. The Mansfields are a rare breed. They are the embodiment of Foothills hospitality, while acting as true stewards of the land.
In 1978 Ron settled in El Dorado County to work on an irrigation study. Through this study he gained a wealth of knowledge about the various micro climates and soil types in the area. By the time it finished he had fallen in love with the region and made the transition to managing tree fruit and vineyards. Since the 1980’s, he has always put quality first, whether it be cherries, Fuji apples, wine grapes or peaches from his Goldbud property.
A few years ago his son, Chuck, joined the family business after working as a winemaker in Sonoma County. We truly appreciate Chuck’s depth of experience and his commitment to a shared goal of producing a wine that conveys a sense of place.
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