Before starting their own label, Dave and Monica Rosenthal put considerable effort in their business plan. They took a logical approach.
“We like to drink wine, we like to make wine, so why not sell wine,” Dave Rosenthal recalled with a laugh. “We”re just having fun with it.”
Yet their 2013 R Vineyards Viognier recently took gold and Best of Class at the Grand Harvest Awards in Sonoma County, a competition drawing bottles from across the country. The notice came for good reason, as it is a beautiful expression of the varietal.
Flirtatious yet intriguing, it offers aromas of white fruit, faded pepper and jasmine — and almost tropical allure. Yet there is depth to it, a ripeness and zest that makes you wonder why the Viognier grape garners only a niche following. Sipping it reveals crisp fruit reined in with a little earthy spite. Behind bright apricot and peach flavors there is a more rustic and peppery ripple, resembling mango, soothed on the finish by hints of vanilla.
Rosenthal”s vines are generally ready in advance of other locations. In 2013, summer weather allowed him to leave the grapes until they reached peak maturity.
“It was one of those good growing seasons,” he acknowledged. “There were no really long heat spikes and the hang time was longer.”
He picked at 26 brix but fermented dry. The result is an acidic snap and subtle finish.
Although the Middletown area label has only been around for a couple of years, Rosenthal is an experienced hand in the vineyards. He has been growing varietals such as Viognier and Zinfandel on his property for several decades, selling most of the product. He studied winemaking at UC-Davis and worked for a number of brands before launching R. In fact, Rosenthal still head up winemaking at Yokayo Wine Company in Ukiah, a crush facility serving several labels.
For a decade he and his wife sold the overwhelming majority of their crop, bottling two or three cases of Viognier for their own use.
As he said, they enjoy good wine.
The couple began selling R Vineyards wine with the 2012 vintage. They were drawn to the floral, exotic nature of their Viognier, as well as the sophistication of Lake County wine aficionados.
“We have a better educated wine population than people might expect,” Rosenthal pointed out.
Honors from the Grand Harvest Awards, a project of Vineyard & Winery Management, marks their first recognition on the national stage.
“We”ve liked the wine all along,” Rosenthal said. “It feels great.”
Still, he plans to set aside only small amounts of their crop each year for R Vineyards bottling. The rest will end up behind other labels. Even after a successful launch, they have not even considered opening a tasting room on their property, preferring to sell at the Lake County Wine Studio in Upper Lake.
“We”re not counting on making a living from this,” Rosenthal said, again with a laugh.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
