I recently ran a giveaway on my Instagram account to giveaway two bottles of Cattleya Wines, plus the chance to taste the wines on Zoom with proprietor and winemaker Bibiana González Rave. I am a big fan of Cattleya Wines and I jumped at the chance to collaborate with Bibiana and one of her brands. Bibiana was born in Colombia and had little exposure to wine growing up, as wine was not a part of everyday culture. Her father drank wine and at 14 years old she proclaimed that she wanted to be a winemaker. Bibiana studied viticulture and enology in France and being an outsider who spoke no French, she still ended up working with some of the best wineries in France, including: Château Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion and Château la Dominique in Bordeaux, Michel & Stephane Ogier and Domaine Clusel-Roch in Côte-Rôtie, Domaine du Scheidecker in Alsace and Domaine du Devevey in Burgundy. Her first vintage in California was in 2004. Since then, she’s worked at: La Crema, Peay Vineyards, Au Bon Climat and Qupé before Lynmar Estate, where she was winemaker from 2009 through early 2012. She also consulted with Wayfarer and Pahlmeyer. In 2014 Bibiana started her own brands with Cattleya and Alma de Cattleya. Alma de Cattleya (bottles range from $22-$48) is Sonoma County appellation focused, while Cattleya (bottles range from $55-$85) is more premium and sub-appellation focused with wines from the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, and the Santa Lucia Highlands. She is married to Jeff Pisoni, son of Gary Pisoni, one of the legends of California Pinot Noir. Our giveaway winner is Jim Peterson, a retired US Airforce A-10 pilot, wine lover, collector, and wine writer for The Texan Magazine. Truly a coastal Cali Chardonnay. Lemon and stone fruit notes on the nose, with the palate delivering minerality plus notes of lemon curd and baking spices. Full, textured, and showing both creamy dairy notes, plus toastiness and spice. The wine was fermented in 65% new French oak barrels, went through malolactic fermentation, and aged for 11 months. Dark fruit (especially berry) notes abound on both the nose and the palate. Layers of spice unravel and form the backbone of this wine, adding both complexity and flavor concentration. Medium plus acidity rounds out the structure. A well-made, generous California Pinot Noir showcasing the best of what Pinot can do in this state. Fermented in stainless steel, the wine was transferred to 55% new French oak barrels where it aged for 11 months. Bibiana and her husband Jeff make wine under multiple labels. Do yourself a favor and get one in your glass!
Let’s taste the wines!Cattleya Wines Sonoma Coast Chardonnay Cuvée Number Five 2021
Cattleya Wines Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Cuvée Number Eight 2021
