The Berry Bros. & Rudd folk are incredibly excited to have finally received our first order from one of our newest Californian agencies, the Bedrock Wine Co. The winery is based in Sonoma, just off the well-known Highway 12, and is a project that was started by a young and hugely talented winemaker Morgan Twain-Peterson MW in 2007. Morgan is the son of legendary Joel Peterson (who founded Ravenswood Winery). A few years later he was joined by his business partner Chris Cottrell and together they have built a reputation that is still growing. The pair are lucky enough to own and source fruit from some of the region’s oldest vines and between them they have an incredible passion to preserve and restore these precious vineyards.

For those more familiar with Bedrock as the name as the fictitious home of the Flintstones, the vines don’t quite go back as far as the Stone Age, but they do date back to the 19th century, when field blends (when a mix of various grape varieties are planted in the same vineyard are harvested and then bottled all together) were something more commonly practised. Morgan and Chris continue to harvest and bottle in this same way today. Zinfandel is the main variety that is planted, but walking through the vineyards you will come across Grenache, Carignan, Mouvèdre, Tempranillo, Riesling, Trousseau Gris, Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Sémillon and Gewürztraminer, to name an eclectic few.

Why have we started working with these wines? Well, having travelled to California on a Buying trip back in October, I found these wines evoked a genuine excitement. They are accessible, each wine has a clear identity and they have a real sense of place. I taste a lot of wine every week (something which always sounds a lot more glamourous than it is, I promise!) but it often comes as a surprise to find something with such brilliant quality – these certainly epitomise that. I for one certainly practice what I preach and I will definitely be ordering some to fill the wineglasses of my own family and friends. My own favourite is the multi-vintage field blend, “The Whole Shebang”. At a great price for a wine of this quality from this region, it offers exceptional value for money.

Don’t miss these wines, and other exciting ones on pour at our upcoming West Coast Road Trip tasting, showcasing the very best of North America.