Old World Winery
COUNTRY: United States
REGION: California
Darek Trowbridge
Old World Winery is a small, family owned and operated winery. Using grapes from our 100 year old organic vineyards, we create “natural wines” that reflect our family history and the traditional winemaking (old world) practices in Sonoma County.
Pastoral winemaker and proprietor, Darek Trowbridge, has 20+ years of hands on experience in the art and science of vineyard management, grape production, and natural winemaking. His passion is inviting nature into his winemaking. His processes are simple and direct and eliminates the need for any manufactured (man made) chemicals. This process involves effort and shepherding but not manipulation.
All grapes are harvested by hand and the wines are unfined and unfiltered.
CUVÉES
Ecstatic Consciousness
Region: Sonoma County
Grape: 40% Zinfandel, 20% Syrah, 20% Merlot, 10% Abouriou, 10% 120 year old field blend
Vineyard: Zinfandel comes from the clay soils of the Grove Camp Vineyard near Healdsburg; the Abouriou is a Basque varietal that was planted on shale soils in an isolated upland mountainous valley by Darek’s great grandfather; the 120 year old field blend was also planted by Darek’s great grandfather on the loamy banks of Green Valley Creek; the Syrah is from the more coastal steeply undulating hills of the Westernmost Russian River Valley; the Merlot is from the volcanic soils of the Chalk Hill appellation combined with river rock from its proximity to the banks of the Russian River.
Farming: regenerative, dry-farmed
Winemaking: whole clusters stomped, macerated on skins and stems up to 28 days
Aging: 9 months in neutral barrels, sur lie
Added S02: minimal
Rise
Region: Sonoma
Grape: 67% White Zinfandel, 33% White Merlot
Label Artwork is by Tonu and Koa, Polynesian Tradition Indigenous Woodcarving Artists. It is a block print of the embrace of the Phoenix and the Whale, of which there is a totem type Red Cedar Tree carving located at the winery.
L’Aureate
Region: Russian River Valley
Grape: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Nagomi Vineyard
Soil: Silty Loam
Farming: Regenerative
Winemaking: 2022 – whole cluster, 5 days maceration 2020 – whole cluster, 2 days maceration
Aging: 9 months in neutral barrels
Added S02: 37 mg/L
Mulch (composted by Darek at the winery )is added under the vines to increase the fertility of each vine by bringing microbiology, organic matter, tilth, and drought tolerance to the soil.
Single Cloud
Region: Fountaingrove District, Sonoma
Grape: 51% Cabernet Franc, 18.5% Petite Syrah, 14.5% Syrah, 4% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon, 3% Viognier, 3% Grenache, 3% Mourvedre
Vineyard: 1 acre, 1100 ft. elevation in the Mayacamas Mountains
Soil: volcanic clay
Farming: organic
Winemaking: field blend stomped with whole clusters, macerated 3 days on skins and stems
Aging: 9 months in neutral barrels, sur lie
Added S02: 15 mg/L
Era Late Harvest Abouriou
Region: Russian River Valley
Grape: Abouriou
Vineyard: Sherry Martinelli
Soil: Creekside loam with a shale sub-strata
Average Age of Vines: 92 years
Farming: Biodynamic, Regenerative
Winemaking: The 2015 Vintage was a 2nd consecutive drought year, the vines produced very little, and the climate was hot and dry so the ripeness proceeded rapidly and we had lots of sugar at harvest, 26 Brix. The whole clusters were stomped, allowed to soak 7 days and pressed to neutral French barrels
Aging: 4 years in neutral French Barrels
Added S02: 15 ppm
Abouriou is a Basque variety that came to the USA in the 1800’s and at that time was called “Early Burgundy” because they lost the real name somehow. We now know that it is Abouriou. Darek’s great-grandfather, Giuseppe Martinelli, planted this block in 1930.
Bloom
Region: Sonoma County
Grape: 2022 – Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Abouriou. 2020 – Abouriou, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Chardonnay. 2018 – Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard: The Pinot Noir is planted to sandy Goldridge silt loam soils at the Choate Vineyard near the Sonoma Coast in Graton; the Abouriou is a Basque varietal that was planted on shale soils in an isolated upland mountainous valley by Darek’s great grandfather; the Pinotage is planted to clay loam soils near the banks of McNab Creek at the Gearhart Vineyard in remote Mendocino.
Soil: loam, shale
Average Age of Vines:
Farming: dry farmed, regenerative
Winemaking: 2022, 2020 – whole clusters, 5 days of maceration, aged 9 months in neutral barrel, sur lie. 2018 – whole cluster, direct press, 5 days of maceration, aged 12 months in neutral French oak, sur lie.
Added S02: minimal
