The Culinary Works

 
On a recent trip to a local grocery store, a unique wine label caught my eye. Below the bottle was a sign that read, “Voted California’s Best Sangiovese”. Hmmm, I thought, I love Sangiovese wines, good price point. I picked it up and gave it the standard ‘turn’. That’s when I saw it was made a short distance away in Plymouth, CA. YES!! One of our local winemakers is producing a product competing with the very best. That’s when I started researching and planning a trip to visit the winery, Vino Noceto, for myself.

My first encounter with Sangiovese wine was many years ago at an Italian restaurant. The wine that was served was imported from Italy. I loved the soft fruity flavor and the way it complimented the food. Often, the red wine we drink is so big it takes over and instead of complimenting the food it competes for attention. This experience showed me that a wine can still have a ‘red wine identity’ without taking away from the intricate, sometimes bold flavors of a beautiful Italian meal. After that, I found a few good examples of the Sangiovese variety but nothing like that original experience.

My internet research revealed that Vino Noceto is located a few short minutes from the town of Plymouth and is surrounded by wineries, making it a ‘must stop’ on a wine tour. It is family owned and operated by Jim and Suzy Gullett, whom I reached out to for more information. I was very excited to find they were open to sharing their time and history with us. I am certain you will enjoy their story as much as we did.

Jim and Suzy were married with children and living in the bay area when in 1984, they decided to purchase some land with the thought in mind that maybe someday they would “grow something”, maybe grapes. I got the distinct impression that they felt a ‘calling’ if you will, perhaps a love of wine or just the country, whatever the driving force, this initial 21 acres is what started it all.

The 21 acres was fallow when purchased and the process of deciding what varietals to grow began. They started researching what to plant based on what would grow well in the Shendoah Valley climate and soil conditions.

Jim and Suzy made it very clear there were some instrumental people along the way whose guidance and expertise they benefited from. Though they named many, those that stood out to me were people like Jim Olson, a winemaker and UC instructor who suggested the consideration of Southern Rhone and Italian varietals. Paolo di Marchi whose philosophies on the quality of the grapes were extremely influential and vital to the quality of the wine they are producing today. Daryl Corti, who encouraged and assisted in the building of an itinerary that took them to Italy to discover their passion for the Sangiovese grapes and sealed their desire to make wines in, as Jim explained, the style of Chianti Classico.