Winemaking
Pinot Noir
All of Cobden Wini’s wines get hands on attention from winemaker, Mark Davis. When we say hands-on we literally mean hands-on: grapes are fermented in half ton bins, which are punched down by hand two to three times daily. After fermentation is complete, wine is removed off the skins (this wine is called the free run) and the skins are pressed, removing more wine trapped within (called the press wine). The press wine is combined with the free run in 228 liter Burgundian barrels, where it remains for approximately 10 months. During this time, the barrels are stirred and topped about once a month (Mark feels that not overly disturbing the aging wine is essential for it reaching its potential, so minimal opening of barrels is a must). The stirring, or batonage, helps mix solids (called lees) into the wine; adding mouthfeel as well as cleaning up the wine. After about 15-17 months, the wine is racked off the lees to help clarify it before final bottling. Cobden Wini uses about a third new French Oak, a third once-used French Oak, and a third neutral French Oak barrels. Cobden Wini wines are not fined, as fining can be somewhat nonspecific as to what it fines out of a wine and thus can bind with important aromatics leaving a wine less complex. Cleanliness is key to the winemaking and aging process and an almost insane approach to cleanliness is used in the making of Cobden Wini wines.
Rosé of Pinot Noir
Our Rosé of Pinot Noir is made in the traditional method, taking whole clusters of Pinot Noir and lightly pressing them to release the juice. The result is a wine with a perfect rose-gold hue and incredible light red fruit aromatics. A crisp acidity perfectly balances out the wine and makes it the perfect pairing for warm summer days
Old Federal Vineyard Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
Starting in 2017, we began sourcing Cabernet Sauvignon from the world-renown growing region of Oakville in the Napa Valley. Fermented whole berry in T-bins, this wine was punched down by hand and fermented over a 17 day period. The wine was aged in 50% new French oak barrels (Darnajou and Taransaud) for 22 months. Malolactic fermentation was allowed to occur naturally. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Dark fruit and spice are prevalent in the glass. The mouthfeel is delicately soft, with tannins that coat the palate but don’t overwhelm. This wine will age gloriously over 10-15 years.
Marsanne/Roussanne White Wine Blend
Our first dry white wine is a blend of two different white grapes: Marsanne and Roussanne, not as commonly found in California, but common place in the Rhone region of France. From a small vineyard in Calaveras county California, we whole cluster press the fruit. After an overnight settling period, the wine is racked to barrel where it will remain for fermentation as well as aging. The wine was aged in half once used french oak and half neutral french oak barrels. Every month the lees were stirred to enhance mouthfeel. Malolactic fermentation was halted in order to preserve a fresh acidity. Our Marsanne Roussanne blend was aged for 9 months in barrel prior to bottling.
Brut Cuvée
Our sparkling wine is made in the traditional method, méthode champenoise, developed in Champagne. After a very delicate pressing of the fruit, the juice is fermented in a mixture of stainless and neutral barrels. After primary fermentation, the wine then undergoes a secondary fermentation in bottle to add complex flavors and develop the carbonation that makes sparkling wine what it is. After years sitting in bottle, every bottle is disgorged (the removal of sediment in the bottle left over from fermentation) and a small amount of liquid called the dosage is added back (a mixture of sugar and wine/water used to balance the final wine). The final product is a delicious, refreshing sparkling wine that pairs perfectly with seafood, poultry, or in a brunch mimosa!