When winemaker Ettore Biraghi first laid eyes on Mendocino, he knew it immediately to be an ideal terroir for the production of pure, organic, and low-intervention fine wines. Establishing his vineyard and winery in Hopland, he took his place in the centuries-long history of one of California’s most dramatic winegrowing regions—one whose future is as promising as its past is historic.
Tasting Notes
Deep ruby color. An elegant, silky and rich wine, with layers of fruit: blackberry and currant, spices, clove, anise, as well as licorice and dark chocolate. Medium-high body, with velvety finish.
Specs
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot picked by hand
Type of wine: Red wine made with organic grapes
Aging potential: 9 years
Fermentation: Traditional fermentation
Aging: French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks
Origin/location: 100% estate grown in our Sanel Valley Vineyards/Hopland, the southernmost town in Mendocino County
Soil: Mostly gravely, bench land loamy soils
Altitude: 500-600 feet above sea level
Age of vines: Vines plots of 22, 25 and 27 years old
Alcohol: 14%
What’s Included
6-bottles:
6x - 2019 Ettore Rosso Red Wine, Mendocino, California
Case:
12x - 2019 Ettore Rosso Red Wine, Mendocino, California
Expressing the best of Mendocino’s complex terroir, our wines channel the soul of their abundant natural surroundings—and are only produced from organic, hand-harvested, and estate-grown grapes. From aromatic and elegant Chardonnay to deeply rich Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Ettore Biraghi brings his Old World Italian winemaking heritage to the New World, crafting wines of finesse and power, elegance and purity.
Located in Hopland, California in Mendocino’s Sanel Valley, our winery is more than one hundred years old. Situated directly at the foot of the mighty Duncan Peak—whose refreshingly cool air assists the ripening of our organic grapes—our 64 acre estate is planted to 35 acres of vineyards which are interspersed with cover crops to promote and sustain ecological balance. Local workers spread compost and organic fertilizers, while also tending to the flora and fauna in the surrounding area. Our grapes are all hand-harvested at just the right moment, picked not just by our dedicated vineyard workers, but by all company employee including the owners.
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Quick lab rat report here: we got a bottle of this just in time before hosting a few friends, their kids, and my parents. So we poured some for everyone and collected group opinions. The setting was sort of perfect for this wine because it was your basic potpourri of kid food and adult munchies – some cheese, charcuterie, fruits and veggies, a little homemade foccacia, some not-so-homemade pretzels and crackers, you get the idea. Honestly, if we’d had a bottle of this stuff in the basement, this would have been the exact right occasion to open it.
Opinions were mixed but generally positive-ish. Everyone loosely coalesced around the idea that this was a drinkable, reasonably tasty, non-complex table wine. Mrs. Z and I probably liked it the most. I totally agree with the winery’s description of the tasting notes (“blackberry jam” was what I scribbled down). We both agreed that it’s very fruit forward and reads Zinfandel-esque. My mom, however, who is particular in her tastes (think Scott Harvey inZinerator all day long), said it “lacks the taste and robustness of a true zinfandel, but would be a decent substitute if I couldn’t find the real thing.” That said, even though mom was sort of meh about it (“it’s perfectly adequate”), she also said she’d cheerfully pay $15 for a glass at a nice restaurant, and would expect it to go for $25 at the grocery store.
Our guests were a bit less enthusiastic. One said “I like it and would drink it again. My only complaint is that it’s a little flat tasting. A little boring. I feel like this costs 12.99.” Another simply said “it’s fine.” When we looked up the WSRP of $30, all guests other than mom shook their heads and said “no way,” observing that perhaps you’re paying extra for the organic shtick. (Said one guest, who works for a big agribusiness company: “it’d taste better with some pesticides.”)
Bottom line: no one disliked it, no one would pay $30 a bottle, everyone basically found it to be a good pizza wine, and the more you enjoy fruit-forward zins and pinots, the more you’ll probably enjoy this. At the case price point, the QPR here is pretty good. Nearly all of our guests said they’d probably be a buyer in that range. Basically, manage your expectations appropriately for what you’re getting, say thanks to WCC for getting the price right, and this might be great for your summer cookouts and the like.
2019 Ettore Rosso Red Wine, Mendocino, California
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$361.20/Case for 12x 2019 Ettore Rosso Red Wine, Mendocino, California at Ettore
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Apr 6 - Tuesday, Apr 7
2019 Ettore Rosso Red Wine
6 bottles for $89.99 $15/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $144.99 $12.08/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Quick lab rat report here: we got a bottle of this just in time before hosting a few friends, their kids, and my parents. So we poured some for everyone and collected group opinions. The setting was sort of perfect for this wine because it was your basic potpourri of kid food and adult munchies – some cheese, charcuterie, fruits and veggies, a little homemade foccacia, some not-so-homemade pretzels and crackers, you get the idea. Honestly, if we’d had a bottle of this stuff in the basement, this would have been the exact right occasion to open it.
Opinions were mixed but generally positive-ish. Everyone loosely coalesced around the idea that this was a drinkable, reasonably tasty, non-complex table wine. Mrs. Z and I probably liked it the most. I totally agree with the winery’s description of the tasting notes (“blackberry jam” was what I scribbled down). We both agreed that it’s very fruit forward and reads Zinfandel-esque. My mom, however, who is particular in her tastes (think Scott Harvey inZinerator all day long), said it “lacks the taste and robustness of a true zinfandel, but would be a decent substitute if I couldn’t find the real thing.” That said, even though mom was sort of meh about it (“it’s perfectly adequate”), she also said she’d cheerfully pay $15 for a glass at a nice restaurant, and would expect it to go for $25 at the grocery store.
Our guests were a bit less enthusiastic. One said “I like it and would drink it again. My only complaint is that it’s a little flat tasting. A little boring. I feel like this costs 12.99.” Another simply said “it’s fine.” When we looked up the WSRP of $30, all guests other than mom shook their heads and said “no way,” observing that perhaps you’re paying extra for the organic shtick. (Said one guest, who works for a big agribusiness company: “it’d taste better with some pesticides.”)
Bottom line: no one disliked it, no one would pay $30 a bottle, everyone basically found it to be a good pizza wine, and the more you enjoy fruit-forward zins and pinots, the more you’ll probably enjoy this. At the case price point, the QPR here is pretty good. Nearly all of our guests said they’d probably be a buyer in that range. Basically, manage your expectations appropriately for what you’re getting, say thanks to WCC for getting the price right, and this might be great for your summer cookouts and the like.
Sigh, two days until another chance of finding the lost shaker of salt (or mead).