05 Oct Vino Noceto Winery
Vino Noceto Winery
11011 Shenandoah Valley Rd. Plymouth, CA 95669
www.noceto.com
Region: Shenandoah Valley, Amador County
Owners: Suzy & Jim Gullett
Winemaker: Rusty Folena
About: Vino Noceto Winery has grown to produce 7,000 cases of Sangiovese-based wines, including its traditional Chianti-style Sangiovese, Brunello-style Riserva, and several single-block Sangioveses. In addition, Vino Noceto has consistently produced other high-quality Italian varietals, including Zinfandel from the famed “Original Grandpère Vineyard”, Aglianico, Barbera, Trebbiano, Teroldego, and Sagrantino.
What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Sangiovese. It is our largest production variety.
What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Robert Pepi, and established, family winery also located in Napa, California, first planted a stony hillside to Sangiovese in 1983 and then expanded their production to valley floor grapes. Vino Noceto, founded by Jim and Suzy Gullett in Shenandoah Valley, California, took the direction of producing food-friendly Chianti style Sangiovese wines. Their first vines were planted in 1986 in a fallow grain field, including scion wood from the Montevina Il Pioggoine source as well as Biondi Santi (Brunello), Altesino (Brunello), and Isole e Olena (Chianti Classico) sources.
What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? Over the past three decades, California growers and vintners have pursued many grapes outside of the Anything But Cabernet/Chardonnay spectrum. Sangiovese, the wine of central Italy and particularly the Tuscan appellations of Chianti and Brunello, has been one of those. This presentation explores the Italian roots of the noble variety and traces its emergence in California.
