The Raconteur

Vineyard

The Flocchini Estate is located in the Petaluma Gap sub-AVA of the Sonoma Coast AVA, and just down the road from Nate’s house. The Gap is the delivery vehicle for the cool, marine air from the Pacific Ocean, often providing dramatic visuals of the massive, incoming fog bank that provides the cooling influence for much of the Sonoma and Napa valleys. The Flocchini brothers grow several clones of Pinot Noir (777, Pommard, Swan, La Tache [suitcase cuttings from the real deal]), Chardonnay, and a little Syrah. When we first met Andrew, he couldn’t wait to show us the tractor attachment that he designed and built, in order to get them off of glyphosate (his home is on the vineyard). Ingenuity at its finest.

Winemaking

We took twelve tons of fruit in 2020, split between 777, Pommard, and La Tache. Primary fermentation took place in two stainless steel tanks, 10% whole cluster, punched down twice a day for one week, switching to pumpovers for the second week. Both lots were then drained, pressed, and combined into one large tank where it finished malolactic fermentation over the next few weeks. The finished wine was then racked to neutral oak barrels of varying age. During fermentation, this wine had a wonderful savory, spiced-tea thing going on. Once ML was finished, the wine completely dropped its guard and a very generous cherry & light chocolatey/cocoa character began to emerge. A lithe, layered wine with silky texture.