Olema
In 2005 after a decade of building their highly acclaimed flagship Napa Valley estate, Amici Cellars’ proprietors, John Harris and Bob Shepard, launched its sister brand, Olema (pronounced “oh-LEE-muh”), a distinct collection of wines that are focused on fruit and terroir, well-balanced in structure, excellent everyday wines.
The stand-alone brand is recognized for its portfolio of thoughtfully crafted, approachable wines. Under the direction of Amici Cellars’ skilled winemaking team, Olema has swiftly grown a fan following with wine critics and customers for its classic varietals and fresh new look.
Philosophy
The Olema winemaking philosophy breaks down into two parts: first, discovering vineyard sources that grow great fruit at a great price. How? “It’s all about going to uncharted territory,” says winemaker Tony Biagi. “The quality of grape-growing in California is rising, and there’s fantastic fruit in not-yet-discovered places.” In some cases, it’s an up-and-coming region like Alexander Valley, which grows outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon—but it’s also about finding sites that fly under the radar within acclaimed AVAs like Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley.
After fermentation, blending is the key to Olema wines. Blending is creating balance, a wine that isn’t “too much” in any direction—too ripe, too acidic, too tannic, too sweet. The wines that result are meant to be elegant and enjoyable. “Our goal as a winemaking team is for someone to take a sip of an Olema wine and say ‘wow, that’s delicious!’ We want the wine to be part of people’s everyday lives, something they can drink on a Tuesday that also fits in at a special occasion.”
Biography
For Olema wines, winemaker Tony Biagi uses the same commitment in the level of care with which the Amici Cellars wines are crafted. From when the grapes arrive at the winery to when the wine is bottled, the Olema team ensures that its wines are true to their classic varietal characteristics and vineyard sources.
The cool climate regions of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley and Coast are known for producing wines of bright acidity and considerable complexity. Olema Chardonnay, Chardonnay Reserve and Pinot Noir are blends from premier vineyards, where the fruit in these regions naturally benefits from the influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean and longer duration of sunlight.
The rocky riverbeds of the Alexander Valley create the ideal growing conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon. Late to bud and late to ripen, these grapes thrive in well-drained gravelly soils.
When the team at Olema set their sights on producing a world-class Rosé, they looked no further than the varietal’s birthplace, Côtes de Provence. The Olema winemaking team travels regularly to Provence focusing a great deal of energy and effort during the growing season, and when they receive the call that the wine is ready for bottling, they hop the next flight to Provence for the final tasting before blessing.
With the help of Provence partner Jean Compeyrot, Olema’s next venture was to the north of Provence, the second largest concentration of sparkling wine producing vineyards in France. The sun-drenched Loire Valley is where Olema’s Brut Crémant and Brut Rosé Crémant are produced in the traditional method from grape varieties cultivated in the valley – Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Grolleau.
The Loire Valley is also the source for Olema’s most recent addition, Sauvignon Blanc. The Loire River, which runs through much of the heart of the valley, helps deliver the unique minerality to the wines of the region. Coupled with its maritime weather, early morning fog burning-off to hot dry afternoons allows for ample ripening time creating wines with bright acidity and citrus palate flavors.
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