Despite the fact that America is still in its winemaking youth, there are still legacy styles that make our nation unique. One of those styles is a specific kind of Chardonnay that the Rombauer family — and its namesake brand — has come to define.
Rombauer Vineyards was founded in California’s Napa Valley in 1980 by husband-and-wife duo Koerner and Joan Rombauer. And though the first wine they ever released was a Cabernet Sauvignon, the couple eventually revolutionized California Chardonnay with the help of winemaker Richie Allen, producing barrel-fermented Chard with ripe, rich fruit sourced from the Los Carneros AVA. But Rombauer didn’t just stop at Chardonnay. The brand has also been championing California Sauvignon Blanc for decades and continues to promote the state’s rich history of producing fine Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
On this episode of “Wine 101,” Keith sits down with Richie Allen, Rombauer’s senior director of winemaking and viticulture, to discuss the brand’s legacy. Allen also explains what it’s like to run such a vineyard, how he comes up with new ideas, and how he brings those ideas to life while staying true to the brand’s roots. Tune in for more.
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“Wine 101” was produced, recorded, and edited by yours truly, Keith Beavers, at the VinePair headquarters in New York City. I want to give a big old shout-out to co-founders Adam Teeter and Josh Malin for creating VinePair. Big shout-out to Danielle Grinberg, the art director of VinePair, for creating the most awesome logo for this podcast. Also, Darby Cicci for the theme song. And I want to thank the entire VinePair staff for helping me learn something new every day. See you next week.
This podcast is sponsored by Rombauer Vineyards.
The article Wine 101: What It Means to Build on a Wine Legacy With Rombauer appeared first on VinePair.