Winemaker Notes
From the far reaches of Mendocino, this powerful wine is laden with varietally correct black cherry aromas and flavors. Ruby red color with aromas of lavender, wild berry, woodsmoke, damp soil, and the aforementioned black cherry. A soft, juicy entry delivers intense berry patch flavors, with caramel and forest floor hints. Sappy and savory whole cluster-derived notes, with medium acidity. Fine-grained tannins join spice notes on the creamy, beautifully layered mid-palate. This balanced Pinot Noir has a great core of red fruit, stellar focus, just enough grip, and a complex finish.
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesWoodsy aromas are accented by cranberry and cinnamon. Joining ripe, vivid black raspberry and high-toned acidity, deeper, darker notes of tobacco, leather, crushed rock, and orange peel integrate seamlessly into a wine of elegance and finesse. A zing of spice on the finish adds to the textural complexity that identifies this cool-climate Pinot Noir
Smooth and enticing, this medium-bodied wine starts with aromas of butter, toasted baguette and red cherry. These tones follow through to the palate, with vanilla and other baking spices riding over a red fruit core. It's soft and mouthfilling in texture.
Created by winemaker Derek Rohlffs, Bravium is the culmination of meticulous care in the vineyards and a patient approach in the cellar. Derek takes his cues from tradition. He doesn’t alter what the earth gives him. He’s a classic minimalist.
But don’t mistake minimalism for apathy. Quietly guiding a wine in a thoughtful, deliberate way—without intervening at every twist and turn—requires diligent attention to detail and a generous amount of restraint. The wine in the glass is born of a deeply purposeful approach. It is a gift of the land, valued and honored.
Derek grows Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes in coveted cool-climate vineyards in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley and Mendocino’s Anderson Valley.
Derek’s minimalist approach translates the nuances of each coastal vineyard in the glass, illustrating a distinct, transparent sense of place in every sip. The result is a collection of compelling, terroir-driven wines that pair naturally with food and have rare aging potential, relative to their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir peers.
Anderson Valley, located in Mendocino County just above Sonoma County, is one of California’s coolest AVAs, allowing it a long growing season. Only 15 miles long, the region makes a slice eastward through the mountains, from the frigid Pacific Ocean. Dramatic diurnal temperature variations here preserve grape acidity and thus freshness in the finished wines. These are prime conditions for growing Pinot Noir, and the valley produces many fine versions. Characteristics of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir typically include crisp acidity, cranberry and strawberry notes as well as earthy notes of forest floor and mushroom.
Still Pinot Noir, however, is only part of the story. Pinot Noir, along with Chardonnay, are also grown for Anderson Valley’s exceptional sparkling wines. Produced via the traditional method, these offer a classic toasty note from lees aging, bright, complex fruit notes and a clean, refreshing character.