Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Brick & Mortar produces single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from high elevation sites in Napa Valley, Sonoma Coast and Mendocino Ridge AVA. They produce Old world style, balanced wines that are bright and structured with low/moderate alcohol and distinct site characteristics. Owners Matt, Alexis and Troy Iaconis also specialize in a highly-acclaimed rosé as well as two unique blends of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, both picked the same day from the same two vineyards, comprised of the exact same blend percentage between Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – one as a white wine (Vin Clair) and one as a red wine (Vin Rubis). brick & mortar’s first single vineyard sparkling wine is set to be released in 2019.
The name brick & mortar was founded on the fact the 2011 Pinot Noir would be the foundational wine of the winery. Given that Matt had spent the summer of 2011 in Burgundy, he fell in love with Pinot Noir and the cobblestone towns. When exploring names for the winery, he mentioned that when one goes through difficult times, a strong foundation is needed – and considering the foundation of some of the world’s longest standing buildings is made from many different variations of brick & mortar, the name was a perfect fit.
A vast appellation covering Sonoma County’s Pacific coastline, the Sonoma Coast AVA runs all the way from the Mendocino County border, south to the San Pablo Bay. The region can actually be divided into two sections—the actual coastal vineyards, marked by marine soils, cool temperatures and saline ocean breezes—and the warmer, drier vineyards further inland, which are still heavily influenced by the Pacific but not quite with same intensity.
Contained within the appellation are the much smaller Fort Ross-Seaview and Petaluma Gap AVAs.
The Sonoma Coast is highly regarded for elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and, increasingly, cool-climate Syrah. The wines have high acidity, moderate alcohol, firm tannin, and balanced ripeness.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.