WINERY HISTORY
Ernest Vineyards was founded in 2012 by husband-wife duo Todd Gottula and Erin Brooks. Their inspiration was a tasting Erin attended a few year prior, when she sampled a few wines from what is now the West Sonoma Coast AVA. From the first sip, Erin was drawn to the deep intricacies of the wines and intrigued by the pioneering spirit of winegrowers in the viticulturally extreme conditions. A single try was enough to shift the trajectory of their lives, with Erin and Todd soon setting out to explore the possibilities of Northern California’s rugged coastline. Joined by winemaker Joseph Ryan in 2018, Ernest Vineyards is dedicated to small-lot wines which offer a true sense of place and purpose.
IN THE VINEYARD
Now farming around 18ha of land – mostly on the West Sonoma Coast – the vineyards are entirely dedicated to organic farming. Sustainability is at the forefront of Ernest's mission. Raised in agricultural households, Erin and Todd are committed to positive stewardship of the land, ensuring this unique environment will be home to vines for generations to come. Regenerative farming methods are used across the estate vineyards, and dry-farming is utilised to protect the delicate water stores in California.
The varieties are cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, each a testament to inspiration, exploration, and respect. The grapes are picked as soon as physiological ripeness is reached to maximize the crackling acidity of these sites.
IN THE WINERY
The Chardonnays undergo entirely native fermentations in 228L French oak barrels (25% new) before 10 months aging sur lies and a light filtration. These whites epitomize cool-climate, marine-influenced Chardonnay. While they vary in character from site to site, each shows great purity of aromas, with plenty of fruit and a distinct minerality. Bright and clean, energetic yet with subtle, these are wines of unrivalled freshness. The Pinots also undergo natural fermentations, with just a small amount of stem inclusion. They are aged for 9 months in 228L French oak (25% new) and bottled with light filtration. With little influence from the barrels, these reds pack a punch of ripe red fruit with aromas evocative of garrigue. Full and with a generous mouthfeel, these Pinots are highlighted by a mouth-watering acidity.
Pure and honest, these meticulously crafted wines are characterised by restraint, complexity and natural acidity stemming from the long, cool growing season of the region. Every bottling at Ernest is single vineyard, embodying their dedication to site specific wines. .
