The WineBeautiful color with an abundance of bubbles. An enthusiastic mousse and a fine, steady and rapid bead. Smelled a bit off at first, but blew off quickly and tasted delicious, with a tart entry balanced by a creamy finish. Fruit forward notes of cranberry, kiwi and strawberry, with hints of yeasty baked goods.
Given the rising price of tariff-riddled French wines, it is a delight to see domestic producers stepping up like this. Only 668 cases produced.
The Winery
It's said that behind every good wine is a good story, and this one is no exception.
After Ken and Gail Laird moved from the East Coast to Califonria in 1970, they decided to convert a Napa fruit orchard to a vineyard. Being a bit short of cash, Ken opened the yellow pages in search of a partner, found 8 other winegrowers listed, and called the only one he recognized - Robert Mondavi. Robert agreed to come walk the orchard with Ken. After their stroll, Robert agreed to pay top dollar for the grapes Ken would sell him, an agreement good enough to bankroll the needed funding.
Think of it, this wine was made possible due to a handshake between two farmers!
