2017 Ultramarine Heintz Vineyard Rose

Ultramarine is a new sparkling wine label from Petaluma, California. It was founded and is operated by Michael Cruse, who is also the proprietor of Cruse Wine Co., which bills itself as “a small winery in Petaluma thoughtfully crafting table wines vineyards in California.” Cruse was trained as a biologist but shifted his interest to winemaking. He was working in California wineries when he became interested in Champagne making, which resulted in Ultramarine’s release of a Blanc de Blanc and a Rose of Pinot Noir, both from Charles Heintz Vineyards. Vinous awarded the 2011 Blanc de Blanc 95 pts and called it “a wine of such beauty (that) I have a hard time describing it. There are simply no parallels in California.”

Sonoma County is not an AVA, but it is a commonly used informal designation for wines made outside of more specific AVAs within Sonoma, which is a large wine producing region just west of Napa Valley. Though Sonoma is often overshadowed by its glamorous neighbor Napa Valley, it has a long history of wine production. The area specialized in jug wine until the mid-20th century, when Sonoma producers took a cue from Napa and started improving quality. Unlike Napa, where Cabernet Sauvignon is king, Sonoma specialized in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, though excellent Cabs are produced too. There are at present 16 AVAs within Sonoma County, and, like much of the West Coast of the United States, new AVAs are created in Sonoma County with regularity. Some Sonoma appellations, such as the Russian River Valley, are renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Not Pinot Noir anywhere on front or back label