Pale copper-salmon color; strawberry, key lime, roses on the nose; strawberry, peach, watermelon, raspberry, pomegranate, key lime on the palate.
Dry; delicate mouthfeel; bright grenache fruit; nicely crisp acidity (3.32 pH). The slightly bitter key lime element kicks in on the finish, adding an intriguing note and extending the impact of the finish; 13.3%
Bonterra is a label of Chilean wine giant Concha y Toro. They acquired the winery in 2011 when they spent $238 million to purchase Brown-Forman, best known for Fetzer Vineyard but also owner of Bonterra Vineyards. Bonterra admirably focuses on organic and sustainable agriculture. “We plant native flowers around our grapes to attract beneficial bugs, and welcome songbirds and chickens into our vineyards to eat up the pests,” they announce. “We even employ sheep to mow between the vines. In our vineyards, every living thing is connected and we all work together to create pure, flavorful wine.”
Bonterra not only commits to organic and sustainable, they also go the extra mile into biodynamic farming, sometimes called voodoo viticulture, but—regardless of the put-down—biodynamic consistently produces quality wine. The Bonterra website explains: “systems function together to create a single living organism: the farm as a whole. We farm our Biodynamic ranches striving to achieve this ideal with as few external inputs as possible. Biodynamic farming is a holistic view of agriculture with high awareness of the interconnectivity between earth, plants, animals, humans, the moon and planets.”
Bob Blue is the founding winemaker. Dave Koball is the vineyard director. Jeff Cichoki is the senior winemaker.
The grenache fruit for this effort comes, in part, from fellow growers committed to biodynamic farming. Bonterra scores points for being a relatively accessible brand while staying true to its “stewards of the earth and vine” roots. Click on the link to the Bonterra website below to get a more complete appreciation of Bonterra and its commitment to biodynamic farming practices and biodynamic in general. Also, there are other very interesting video links.
Bonterra Rosé, Mendocino County 2017 is zesty and interesting rather than being a smooth easy drinker. That is intended as a compliment. The raspberry and key lime elements give it dimension beyond cherry and watermelon. Fresh, bright, delicious in its own way. Clearly worth a tasting. Works well as an aperitif or sipped solo on patio, deck, or poolside; also versatile—pair with fresh fruit; poached salmon; grilled fish; Asian and other fusion cuisine; spicy foods; fresh garden salads, especially with some citrus fruit slices thrown in. $16
Video about Bonterra and organic/biodynamic farming
Video about organic/biodynamic farming
Video about organic/biodynamic farming
