Attended the Idlewild - Ruth Lewandowski Open House last week and tasted through the line up of both. Will go through the Idlewild wines first (still gathering my notes on RL ) and will post those in a day or so. A little background on Idlewild. When we moved to Sonoma Wine Country in late 2012 I had read that a young winemaker named Sam Bilbro was making Italian wines with grapes grown in Mendocino County. Being a lover of most Italian wines I set an appointment with Sam and tasted through the wines. Even back then you could taste the freshness and purity of the wines and my wife and I became instant fans. Now 7 years later the portfolio is broader and more refined but the attention to quality is exceptional.
I have come to know Sam over the years, always friendly and unpretentious he is also one of the most strategic winemakers you will ever meet. The Idlewild portfolio is not only inspired by Italian wines but further narrowed down to the great white and red varieties of Piedmont, that is it. I would have guessed this type of venture in California would fail miserably, instead Idlewild growth has been incredibly strong and wines become sold out soon after release.
If you meet up with Sam at the Idlewild Tasting Room in Healdsburg he will detail all he does in the winery to attain quality but if you really want to see his eyes light up start talking about soils, climate, vineyard management etc. He loves to talk about what it takes in the vineyard to produce the quality of grapes to make outstanding wine. No doubt this was passed on from father (Chris Bilbro of Marietta) to son. The wines see only old wood, have low to moderate alcohol and are very fresh tasting. Onto the wines.
2017 Idlewild Cortese Fox Hill Vineyard: 25% of the juice was skin fermented for a month+ to add complexity and savory elements, 75% directly pressed. Stone fruit, ripe apple, floral aromas. Spicy ripe apple, dried apricot, chamomile, orange oil, honeysuckle and a slight bitter note round out the balanced flavor profile. Savory with good acidity, some tannins give this a very nice texture and a long finish. With Thanksgiving around the corner this wine would be a perfect match. 12.5% ABV
2017 Idlewild Dolcetto Fox Hill Vineyard: Fermented 100% whole cluster with partial foot treading, this vintage shows the contrast of bright freshness against firm structure that I love seeing in Dolcetto. The 2017 Dolcetto is full of earthy, cherry, herbal aromas that give an indication of whats coming. Flavors of dried cherry, earth, sweet herbs, almond and eucalyptus. The tannin management in this wine is perfect. They enhance the wine without overwhelming the fruit and other flavor attributes. Have some salumi and a glass of 2017 Idlewild Dolcetto and you will soon be smiling. 12.4 ABV
2017 Idlewild Barbera Fox Hill Vineyard: Unlike Dolcetto (all tannin) Barbera is all acid and no tannin… literally, there is next to no tannin in the skins. With this in mind, the grapes were fully foot trodden and all stems were included for added spice and structure. The must fermented naturally via native yeast and bacteria. At dryness, the wine was pressed to neutral puncheon where it evolved and integrated for nearly eleven months. Then, a year in bottle completed its aging.
Black cherry, herbs, flinty, dried meat aromas emerge with some gentle swirling. In the mouth ripe black cherry, violets, dried meat, cedar and minerals. This is medium to full bodied Barbera, the abundant acidity allows for a larger scale wine yet everything is in beautiful balance. Versatile food wine, we enjoy this wine with winter roasts or braised meats. 14.4% ABV
2016 Idlewild Nebbiolo Fox Hill Vineyard: The Nebbiolo very much comes from the thought of balancing tradition reimagined in new soil. One third of the fruit was destemmed, two thirds was left whole cluster and crushed by foot. The wine was fermented natively and then topped and sealed up for an extended maceration of nearly ninety total days on skins (and stems). This is old fashioned, but it yielded amazing depth and spectrum in a decidedly ethereal feeling wine.
Very aromatic. Rose petals, violets, cherries, tar and mint aromas. You can smell this all day and be happy . Cherries, earth, rose, tar and a touch of citrus round out the flavors. The flavors give way to a firm but balanced structure. Substantial yet elegant, just as Nebbiolo should be. Enjoy this now with a hearty dinner or give it time. Either way, it’s all good . 13.9% ABV
Each of the Idlewild wines in the Fall release show excellent concentration of flavors yet are vibrant and so easy to drink. For several years Idlewild has become our most consumed wine. This release will not change that! If you are in Healdsburg, stop by the Tasting Room - Salumi Bar to sample the wines or get on the mailing list. Lots of fantastic events during the year at the Cantina (Tasting Room) examples are the Alba White Truffle dinner tomorrow night (can’t wait!) and “Sunday School” the first Sunday of every month where wines of Italy are tasted and discussed.
Will get to the Ruth Lewandowski wines in a day or so.
Sam Bilbro pouring at the Open House