"It has always been here right in front of everybody's face," says Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock Wine Co.
Twain-Peterson, son of Ravenswood founder Joel Peterson, shares the vineyard's fruit with high-profile vintners including Arnot-Roberts and Carlisle. Bucklin, Gundlach Bundschu and Ravenswood have also used it. That Compagni Portis attracts such interest is a sign of where California's winemaking momentum lies: white wine.
What's the idea behind Compagni Portis' crazy quilt? The intentional interplanting of varieties provides not only character but also what Twain-Peterson calls "an insurance policy" - it limits ripeness in hot years and assures ample flavor in lean ones. The acidity of obscure Burger balances Gewurztraminer's plushness. All the fruit is harvested and fermented together. But you never know what you're going to get.
"It'll have a little bit of a personality from year to year," says Duncan Meyers of Arnot-Roberts.
The concept is old hat in the "mixed blacks" of heritage red blends. But "mixed whites" are far rarer. Indeed, this is the only North Coast site where vineyard hounds like Twain-Peterson have been able to locate such a diverse mix.
"This," says Twain-Peterson, "is like winemaking catnip."
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