Wines can feel like subprime mortgage bonds -- it can be difficult to understand exactly which grapes have been put together to make the bottle. But Ryan Sciara of Cellar Rat has removed the guess work with the latest micro-batch, private-label wines for his Crossroads store.
"We get to pick individual barrels. We're not winemakers, so we try to have as much input in the process before the wine is made as possible," says Sciara, managing partner at Cellar Rat.
The wine was made by Darek Trowbridge of Old World Winery -- who has worked with Cellar Rat the last three years to design private-label wines. Two wines were produced based on Cellar Rat's specifications: a 2006 Two Ranch Red and a 2006 Fog Line. Only 24 cases of each wine were made; the bottles retail for $20.
"We did a blend to get the best characteristics of each varietal. They're both really elegant and well-balanced," says Sciara.
The Two Ranch Red is a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane -- Sciara suggests it's a "red fruit wine, bit spicy." The Fog Line is a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon with a "black fruit, earthy feel."
"We have clients who love blends and others who feel organic or biodynamic wines are important," says Sciara.
Old World Winery works with small-lot grape growers and is focused on having sustainable wine production through the use of biodynamic and organic farming techniques. But with an operation that produces hand batches there are some compromises. This marks the first year that Cellar Rat won't be offering a Pinot
Noir, a decision based on what was produced in Sonoma County three
years ago at the vineyards that Trowbridge uses.
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