— A filament is any one connecting thread in a larger tapestry of things —
It could be found among the roots and living soil of a conscientiously grown vineyard tied together in symbiosis with its environment. It could be a couple of California boys supporting growers they believe in and highlighting special places. It could be you discovering unique expressions of grapes grown in unique places. If a wine is bottled sunshine let us be the filament that lets that sun shine.
We’re confident that the sites we have selected are special and we think our job is to bring those sites to your taste buds. As such we’re not aiming for some “house style” that you can rely on to make all our wines taste alike— where’s the fun in that? We feel nature does the heavy lifting and we do our best not to get in the way. Our approach is “less is more”. We pick the fruit with an aim towards limiting additions. We rely on native yeasts to ferment. We raise up the wines in large neutral oak puncheons to create a complete wine that has been educated without being turned into a snob. Wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Small amounts of SO2 are used to prevent spoilage.
Vineyards we work with
Alder Springs Vineyard
Alder Springs Vineyard is located in Mendocino County AVA just north of the town of Laytonville and 150 miles north of San Francisco. The vineyard sits in the 6,000-acre Alder Springs Ranch, a forested wonderland with steep terrain reaching heights of 4,000 feet. The climate is moderated by the vineyard’s elevation and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, a mere 12 miles away.
The vineyard is meticulously farmed by Stu Bewley who has been aptly described as a boss made up of lesser bosses. He planted the first block in 1993 after discovering a location with the ideal combination of sun, soil, and drainage. The 140-acre vineyard is planted on decomposed sandstone at elevations between 1,700 and 2,700 feet. This is a cool climate vineyard where the grape yields are low and the concentration of flavor is high. We are fortunate to work with such an amazing site and vineyard team.
Check out Eric Asimov’s article to learn more about Alder Springs.
Bedrock Vineyard
Bedrock Vineyard is an historic vineyard located in Sonoma Valley AVA off of Madrone Road. The 150-acre ranch sits on the valley floor between the Mayacamas and Sonoma mountain ranges. The vineyard has plantings dating back to 1880s. The old vines are head trained and are a field blend of 27 differing varieties, including Zinfandel, Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvèdre. There are more recent plantings of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties trained on Geneva double curtain (GDC) system. Bedrock has four primary soil types: Tuscan cobbley clay loam, Los Robles gravely clay loam, Red Hill clay loam and Huichica loam, all coming from the Mayacamas mountains. The vineyard is overseen by Joel Peterson and his son, Morgan Twain-Peterson. Joel and Morgan are two of the most incredible human beings you could ever hope to meet. Check out their interviews on I’ll Drink to That! podcast (Episode 460 & 236). They are stewards of Bedrock Vineyard, practicing regenerative farming that includes biochar, cover crops, roller crimping, native hedge rows and owl boxes.
Fred’s House Vineyard
Fred’s House Vineyard is located in the Contra Costa (Coco) AVA in the town of Oakley, east of the San Pablo Bay and next to the San Joaquin River. The warm summer days are cooled by afternoon winds from the bay that travel up through the river delta. Oakley is home to some of California’s oldest vines, including this special vineyard, which was planted in the 1880s. Walking through the vineyard is akin to walking on fine beach sand. The unique sandy soils are named after the town (Oakley Sands) and are made of decomposed granite deposited from the river delta. The sands can be 40 feet in depth and allow the head-trained vineyard to be own rooted and dry farmed, a combination very few vineyards can claim. This seven-acre vineyard of old vines has been farmed by four generations of the Del Barbra family whose patriarch’s home sits near the front of the ranch. This is why we affectionately refer to this vineyard as Fred’s House.
Wines
2023 Fall Release
Our Fall Release has closed! Sign up for our email list to be notified of future releases. If you are interested in purchasing wine from a previous release email kevin@filamentswine.com for availability.
2019 Alder Springs Vineyard Mourvèdre
The fruit was harvested on October 16th, 2019. After being completely destemmed it went through a natural fermentation lasting 14-days with twice daily punch downs. The wine was racked to a neutral 400L puncheon and 228L barrique. Bottled unfined and unfiltered after 20 months of élevage. 41 cases made.
Like a cool mountain stream if that stream consisted of blood orange, crushed raspberries, rose water, and resinous herbs cascading over tumbled river rocks. Don’t let the youthful nose and seductive red blush to this wine fool you; there is grip and tension in the mouth that either calls for charcuterie or a dark corner of your cellar.
2020 Bedrock Vineyard Merlot
Harvested on August 20, 2020 at 23.4 brix and 3.57 ph. The merlot was completely destemmed prior to fermentation. Twice daily punch downs during a fermentation lasting 16 days. Wine was barreled down into 400L puncheon and 228L barrique for 17 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 41 cases made.
A veritable farmer’s market of dark stone fruit from bright red cherry plums to deep intense Damson plums. There is an oddly satisfying umami character from the way this wine blooms on the nose to the way it fills the mouth with generous fruit leather, compote, and an unexpected touch of anise.
2022 Fall Release
2018 Alder Springs Vineyard Grenache
Harvested on October 16, 2018 the wine was made using 50% whole cluster and foot trod twice daily. Élevage for 17 months using neutral French 400L puncheon and 228L barriques. 67 cases made.
This wine ain’t black, it ain’t blue, it is RED; almost enough to give someone synesthesia! Red fruits, red earth, red flowers.
2019 Fred's House Mourvèdre
Made using 30% whole cluster. Combination of foot trod and punch downs through fermentation. In barrel for 21 months using neutral French 500L puncheon and 228L barrique. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 55 cases made.
The mystique of the drifter: leather & meat and a splash of licorice behind the ears. But this rebel has a heart of gold and a core of dark dusty black fruit.
2019 Bedrock Vineyard Merlot
Harvested on September 23, 2019 and completely destemmed. Natural fermentation with twice daily punchdowns. Élevage using new French 400L puncheon and neutral 228L barrique. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 39 cases made.
As seductive as a cherry pie cooling on a windowsill. The aromas of black- and blueberries along with vanilla & violets will have you dancing along tippie-toe, reaching for a second glass.
2021 Fall Release
2016 Alder Springs Vineyard Grenache
Made using 50% whole cluster and native yeast fermentation. Élevage using neutral 400L puncheon. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 41 cases made.
Perfumed nose of strawberries. Silky smooth tannins and lifted fruit aromatics. As crushable as a rosé served inside a neutron star.
2017 Red Table Wine
A single barrel was made with 50% Grenache and 50% Mourvèdre from Alder Springs Vineyard. The Grenache was made using 50% whole cluster and the Mourvèdre was completely destemmed. They were fermented separately as each variety reached peak ripeness at different times. The wine spent 30 months in a neutral French barrique. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 21 cases made.
A marriage of lightness & darkness; bright fruit skin & high-toned spice alongside bass notes of mulberry & terracotta.
2018 Alder Springs Mourvèdre
Made from 100% Mourvèdre that was completely destemmed and fermented using native yeast. Cap management consisted of twice daily punchdowns. Élevage was in 500L puncheon for 17 months. 68 cases made.
Seductively spicy fresh-cracked black pepper atop blueberry granita served to you in a glade of violets. All the allure of a picnic minus the ants!
About Us
“I feel that grapes arrive with all their potential for great wine intact, and everything I do is mostly going to subtract from that potentiality. We seek to preserve that full potential by shepherding the process from grape to wine, but mostly staying out of the way.”
-Erik
“We find vineyard sites whose grapes produce a wine that expresses a sense of place. We partner with growers who are passionate about their vineyards and are dedicated to producing the best grapes possible. When we get the grapes into the winery, we do our best not to mess up all the hard work that's been done.”
- Kevin
Kevin Farrow and Erik Latshaw met at UCLA, rooming together senior year and utilizing Erik’s employee discount at Wally’s Wine & Spirits to taste their way through European wines and drink a not-insignificant amount of Château DeLord Bordeaux. Kevin had grown up in Escondido in Southern California and Erik had grown up in Felton, CA in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Erik and Kevin continued to drink wine together over the years and Erik found himself on the production side of the wine world, working a harvest internship at Patz & Hall Winery in 2012. There Erik met Morgan Twain-Peterson at Bedrock Wine Co. which led to Kevin working for Bedrock in 2014. The following harvest Morgan gave Kevin one ton of Merlot to work with and Filaments Wine began.
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