March 2025
The New California
Bacco’s Wine Club
March 2025
This month, a spotlight on one of the coolest new winemakers coming out of California, Rosalind Reynolds, and how we got there.
As we watch another tariff-related whiplash effort that may completely transform our perception of European wine, we turn our sights to a young winemaker who is truly starting to make a name for herself, at least by other names. Rosalind Reynolds is here to stay.
Emme Wines
’Tell Your Sister I Say Hi’
Colombard
Ricetti Vineyard
Redwood Valley
California
Farming: Sustainable, Practicing Organic
Rosalind Reynolds' 2023 'Tell Your Sister I Say Hi' is a distinctive expression of 100% Colombard, sourced from the organically farmed Ricetti Vineyard in Redwood Valley, California. This vintage marks a return to a pure Colombard composition, a choice Rosalind hadn't made since 2019, aiming to highlight the varietal's unique character when subjected to skin contact during fermentation.
Vinification Process:
Harvest: The Colombard grapes were hand-harvested on October 6, 2023.
Fermentation: Post-harvest, the grapes were divided into two equal lots of 1.5 tons each:
Lot One: Underwent a 24-hour cold soak after whole-cluster foot crushing, extracting aromatics without excessive tannin or color. This portion was then pressed and fermented to dryness in a combination of stainless steel drums and neutral oak barriques.
Lot Two remained on skins for a full week, allowing fermentation to progress nearly to dryness. This extended skin contact imparted a more pronounced orange hue and enhanced texture. After pressing, fermentation is completed in the tank before aging in neutral oak barriques.
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Aging and Bottling: Both lots aged separately over the winter and were blended in March 2024 before bottling.
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Tasting Notes:
This wine presents pleasant aromatics with a solid acid structure, offering flavors of melon, green apple, and tangerine. It is crisp and refreshing, making it an excellent aperitif or a companion to cheese, salads, or seafood dishes.
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Technical Details:
Alcohol Content: 11%
Cases Produced: 180
Farming Practices: Organic and dry-farmed
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Winemaking Philosophy:
Rosalind emphasizes minimal intervention, utilizing indigenous yeast fermentation. A minimal addition of 10 ppm sulfur dioxide was made at bottling, with no other additives. The wine is unfined and unfiltered, aligning with her commitment to natural winemaking practices.
About Rosalind Reynolds
Rosalind Reynolds is a Pennsylvania native who transitioned from a background in plant genetics and biology to a career in winemaking. Initially planning to attend medical school, she took a six-month internship at Gallo's research lab in Modesto, California, which sparked her passion for the wine industry. This experience led her to pursue winemaking, gaining diverse experience through harvests around the world.
In 2016, Rosalind worked with Pax Mahle at Wind Gap Wines, a pivotal experience in her career. By 2018, she became Mahle's assistant winemaker at his Pax label and launched her label, Emme Wines, operating out of Mahle's facility alongside a community of like-minded winemakers.
Emme Wines, named in honor of Rosalind's grandmother, Emme, reflects her commitment to sustainable agriculture and organic farming practices. She focuses on "old-school California" varietals such as Carignan, Merlot, and Zinfandel, as well as less common grapes like Abouriou and Muscat Vert. Rosalind produces around ten different bottlings annually, often as single-varietal wines sourced from vineyards that are at least sustainably farmed, with a preference for organic or beyond-organic practices.
In her winemaking, Rosalind employs minimal intervention techniques, including ambient yeast fermentations, the use of stainless steel, neutral wood, or concrete vessels, and occasional practices like foot treading, whole clusters, and skin contact on whites.
Rosalind's approach emphasizes community and collaboration, acknowledging the collective effort involved in winemaking. She aims to create fresh, bright wines that encourage thoughtful discussion and bring people together, embodying the communal spirit of the wine industry.
About Colombard
Colombard is a white grape variety that originated in France, where it was historically used in Cognac and Armagnac production. It is a natural cross between Gouais Blanc and Chenin Blanc, making it a sibling to popular varieties like Sauvignon Blanc.
Characteristics of Colombard:
Acidity: One of its defining features is its high acidity, making it excellent for fresh, crisp white wines.
Aromatics & Flavors: Colombard typically exhibits flavors of green apple, citrus (lemon, lime, grapefruit), pear, and melon, often with subtle floral or herbaceous notes.
Body: Generally light to medium-bodied, often with a refreshing and zesty mouthfeel.
Alcohol: Tends to be on the lower side, typically 10-12% ABV.
Regions Where Colombard is Grown:
France:
Still widely planted in Gascony, where it contributes to the Côtes de Gascogne white wines.
Previously a workhorse grape in Bordeaux blends but now less common there.
California:
Used historically in jug wines, but modern winemakers are rediscovering its potential, particularly in natural winemaking and skin-contact styles (like Rosalind Reynolds’ version).
South Africa & Australia:
Grown in warm climates where its high acidity provides balance to fruit-forward wines.
Colombard in Modern Winemaking:
Winemakers today are giving Colombard more attention as a single-varietal wine rather than just a blending grape. Minimal intervention winemakers, like Rosalind Reynolds, are exploring its potential through techniques like skin contact, spontaneous fermentation, and neutral aging, resulting in textured and expressive wines.
Notes on the Vintage
From Rosalind herself:
For the first time since 2019, the 2023 ‘tell your sister’ is 100% Colombard, and I couldn’t be happier. The intent with this wine is always to showcase Colombard and how delicious it becomes when left on skins. In 2023, instead of combining the Colombard with a bit of Muscat Vert or Chardonnay, I chose to ferment just the Colombard in two separate lots for added complexity.
Emme Wines
‘It’s Not A Phase’
Merlot
Nakai Vineyard
Russian River Valley
California
F arming: Organic/Sustainable
Emme Wines' 2023 'It's Not A Phase' is a Merlot crafted by winemaker Rosalind Reynolds. The grapes are sourced from the organically farmed, dry-farmed Nakai Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, California.
Vinification Process:
Harvest: The Merlot grapes were harvested on October 7, 2022.
Fermentation: The grapes underwent whole-cluster fermentation without destemming, enhancing the wine's freshness. After foot-crushing in the tank, the grapes fermented on skins for approximately 10 days before being pressed to stainless steel to complete primary fermentation.
Aging: Post-fermentation, the wine was transferred to neutral oak barriques and one neutral puncheon, undergoing malolactic fermentation and aging on lees for 10 months. In August 2023, the barrels were racked to tank for bottling.
Technical Details:
Alcohol Content: 13%
Cases Produced: 100
Farming Practices: Organic and dry-farmed
Rosalind employs minimal intervention techniques, utilizing indigenous yeast fermentation. A minimal addition of 20 ppm sulfur dioxide was made at bottling, with no other additives. The wine is unfined and unfiltered, aligning with her commitment to natural winemaking practices.
Tasting Notes:
The wine exhibits rich blueberry flavors, aromatic violet notes, warmth, and richness from its higher alcohol content. It has upfront tannins and a mellow mint finish
Notes on Merlot:
Is there any grape more culturally maligned than Merlot? Sure, Chardonnay has its fair share of ‘ABC’ (Anything But Chardonnay) zealots, but Merlot took a public beating thanks to Paul Giamatti’s infamous outburst in Sideways:
“If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any f**ing Merlot!”
The damage was instant. Overnight, Merlot—once beloved for its plush texture and easygoing charm—became a punchline. But the truth is, Sideways was just the final nail in a coffin the 1990s had already built.
That era’s obsession with bigger, bolder, and oakier left no varietal unscathed. Winemakers chased overripe fruit, heavy-handed oak aging, and high-alcohol styles, making many wines feel more like syrup than structure. Merlot, once prized for its ability to soften Cabernet Sauvignon’s tannins (from Bordeaux to Napa), became another casualty of excess.
But trends change, and so does winemaking. Today, a new wave of vintners is bringing Merlot back—not with the flabby, over-oaked wines of the past, but with fresh acidity, balanced structure, and a sense of place. By scaling back oak, emphasizing vineyard expression, and embracing minimal intervention, they’re proving what Merlot lovers knew all along: this grape never lost its greatness.
Skull Wine Company
Red Blend
Lodi Valley
California
Farming: Practicing Organic
IThe 2021 Skull Wine Company Red Blend is a testament to the art of collaboration and shared winemaking philosophies. Crafted by Pax Mahle and Patrick Cappiello, two respected figures in the California wine scene, this wine embodies their commitment to terroir-driven, minimal-intervention winemaking.
But the story behind this wine goes beyond just the bottle—it’s also about the shared connections that bind these winemakers. Rosalind Reynolds, founder of Emme Wines, is a close colleague of Pax Mahle. Their work together reflects a shared dedication to crafting wines that prioritize balance and expression of the land. Rosalind's commitment to organic practices and her innovative approach to winemaking align closely with Pax's philosophy of producing wines that reflect both the grape and the region.
What ties this even further together is the role of Patrick Cappiello, a longtime collaborator and advocate of Rosalind's talents. Patrick, who shares a facility with Rosalind, was the one who first introduced her to a distributor in Massachusetts. This connection, rooted in mutual respect for one another’s craft, helped bring Rosalind’s wines to a wider audience, further strengthening the ties between these skilled winemakers.
The 2021 Skull Wine Company Red Blend itself is a reflection of that collaborative spirit. Made from a unique blend of 50% Petite Sirah, 30% Mission, and 20% Zinfandel, it showcases the vibrant, fruit-forward character that both Pax and Patrick are known for, while maintaining a balance of structure and elegance—hallmarks of Rosalind’s approach to winemaking as well.
For wine lovers who appreciate the intersection of craftsmanship and community, this wine is a celebration of that collaboration, with roots that run deep between these talented winemakers.