Ottavino Wines

Ottavino Wines

1160 Hopper Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
ottavinowines.com

Region: Santa Rosa

Owner: Shalini Sekhar

Winemaker: Shalini Sekhar

About: Shalini’s first passion was playing the piccolo. Now her passion is creating small-lot wines: a natural migration from one form of art and science to another. Ottavino focuses on varieties and winemaking techniques which are less common in California but outstanding nonetheless. Ottavino currently produces Grüner Veltliner, Rosé of St. Laurent, St. Laurent, and Chardonnay in Austrian oak. As an Indian-American woman winemaker originally from New Jersey, Shalini knows a thing or two about being unexpected but exceptional!

What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Grüner Veltliner – It is unlike working with Chardonnay, which I had a decade+ + of experience making. My favorite Grüners from Austria are from the Kamptal region and ride the line between minerality, spice, and fruit purity. Learning to work with Grüner in California to get the spiciness inherent in the grape to balance with a core of fruit has taken time to understand.

What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? I think it was when I began studying for WSET exams before I changed careers into winemaking. I remember our German unit and tasting Scheurebe for the first time (and learning to pronounce it!). The intensity of the aroma, but truly dry palate felt so distinctly different than Riesling itself.

What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? I’m truly focused on helping people discover these other amazing grapes. I’m applying classic, minimal intervention winemaking, which I’ve done for years with Pinot Noir & Chardonnay, to show that you can make noteworthy wines from grapes you don’t encounter as often.