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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60% Vermentino + 40% Bourboulenc grown between 2700-2830 ft. elevation
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 x plumeria x pear
Tastes like: key lime pie x macadamia nut x guava
Sounds like: If Summer Were A Sound, Goldfish
Technical Info:
Vineyard - Fenaughty + Camino Alto, El Dorado County
Harvest Date - September 3rd + 9th, 2025
Winemaking - 100% Whole Cluster, 7 Day Carbonic Maceration, Direct to Press, Native Yeast Fermented, Bottled Unfined + Unfiltered
Aging - Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - March 2nd, 2026 (Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 2 Barrels
Alcohol % - 11.4
Label Notes:
Location - Cassis, France
Flower - Krantz Aloe
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47% Mourvèdre + 27% Grenache + 26% Cinsault grown at 1750 ft. elevation
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: meyer lemon x orange blossom x jasmine x fresh rain
Tastes like: key lime pie x cara cara orange x grapefruit
Sounds like: (Nothing But) Flowers, Talking Heads
Technical Info:
Vineyards - Veerkamp, El Dorado County
Harvest Date - August 22nd, 2025
Winemaking -100% Whole Cluster, 25% Foot Stomped, Native Yeast Fermented
Aging - 100% Stainless Steel
Bottling Date - March 2nd, 2026 (Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 2 Barrels
Alcohol % - 11.2
Label Notes:
Location - Chapman's Peak, Cape Town
Flower - Pincushion Protea
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53% Mourvèdre + 35% Gamay + 6% Cinsault + 6% Grenache grown between 1750 - 2860 ft. elevation
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 crisp x cinnamon x wet river rock
Tastes like: raspberry jolly rancher x mint x passion fruit
Sounds like: 12 to 12, Sombr
Technical Info:
Vineyards -Fenaughty, Futernick, Veerkamp, El Dorado County
Harvest Date - Aug 22nd + Sept 9th 2025
Winemaking -100% Whole Cluster, 7 Day Carbonic Maceration, Direct to Press, Native Yeast Fermented
Aging - 100% Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - March 2nd, 2026 (Bottled Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 4 Barrels
Alcohol % - 11.5
Label Notes:
Location - Eagle Rock, Lake Tahoe
Flower - Disa
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90% Mourvèdre + 10% Syrah grown between 2730 - 2860 ft. elevation
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 lavender
Tastes like: strawberry x sarsaparilla x star anise x biltong
Sounds like: Hungry Heart, Bruce Springsteen
Technical Info:
Vineyards - Goldbud, Fenaughty, Camino Alto, & Futernick in El Dorado County
Harvest Date - Sept 6th, 9th, + 11th 2024
Winemaking - 100% Whole Cluster, Foot Stomped
Aging - Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - June 19th, 2025 (Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 2 Barrels
Alcohol % - 13.1
Label Notes:
Location - Glacier National Park, Montana
Flower - King Protea
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100% Gamay Noir grown at 2700 ft. elevation
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.
Smells like: star anise x cherry cola x pine needles
Tastes like: orange starburst x cranberry sauce x coriander
Sounds like: I Don't Live Here Anymore, The War on Drugs
Technical Info:
Vineyards- Barsotti, El Dorado County
Harvest Date - September 5th, 2024
Winemaking - 100% Whole Cluster, Foot Stomped
Aging - Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - June 19th, 2025 (Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 2 Barrels
Alcohol % - 13.1
Label Notes:
Location - Lake Aloha, Desolation Wilderness
Flower - Golden Spiderhead Protea
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100% Charbono grown at 2200 ft. elevation
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 regeneratively farmed vineyard that we were fortunate to help plant.
Smells like: fig x pine needles x wet river rocks
Tastes like: blueberry x juniper x turkish delight
Sounds like: Fall Moon, St. Paul & The Broken Bones
Technical Info:
Vineyard - Krutsinger Family Farms, Sierra Foothills AVA
Harvest Date - September 15th, 2024
Winemaking - 100% Whole Cluster, Foot Stomped, Native Yeast Fermented
Aging - Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - June 19th, 2025 (Bottled Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 1 Barrel
Alcohol % - 12.1
Label Notes:
Location - Tunnel View, Yosemite
Flower - Black Bearded Sugarbush Protea
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100% Syrah grown at 2860 ft. elevation
Inspired by:
A roadtrip through the Canadian Rockies where we drank a delicioius bottle of Syrah with a view of Moraine Lake under the moonlight.
In memory of our grower Ron Mansfield, who loved this vineyard.
Smells like: violet x juniper x cracked pepper x black tea
Tastes like: pomegranate x olive tapenade x thyme
Sounds like: Two of Us on The Road, Lucius
Technical Info:
Vineyard - Fenaughty, El Dorado County
Harvest Date - September 22nd, 2023
Winemaking - 100% Whole Cluster, Foot Stomped, Native Yeast Fermented
Aging - Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date - Feb 24th, 2025 (Bottled Unfined + Unfiltered)
Production - 2 Barrels
Alcohol % - 12.3
Label Notes:
Location - Moranie Lake, Alberta Canada
Flower - Blushing Bride 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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