Comunità

Comunità

132 Plaza Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448
www.comunitawines.com

Region: Sonoma County

Owner: David Drummond

Winemaker: Sam Bilbro

About: Comunità began as a love of wine and sharing with friends. There is nothing more human than to open our arms and to come together to foster community. It seemed only logical to embrace more of this feeling through the medium of wine. We farm Northeastern Italian varieties holistically and intervene minimally in the cellar so that we can authentically express the Italian roots of our wines and the California soil on which they are grown.

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? My current favorite is Pinot Grigio, which we’re making into an old-school Italian-style Ramato. Ramato Pinot Grigios have the color of a darker rosé, the astringency of a red wine, and the refreshing qualities of a white wine. This variety is definitely not undiscovered, but made this way, it showcases the lesser-known side of a known quantity.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Finding Schioppettino was like finding the opposite other half to my love for Nebbiolo. Instead of delicate and then powerful, it leans into a dense mid-palate and pepper-forward flavors while holding onto its balance.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? Removing familiar elements from a situation where wine is involved is one of the best ways to reduce pretense and increase conversation. When no one at the table has a frame of reference for Friulano grown in the Russian River Valley, everyone at the table has equal say in the discussion.