Fringe Collective Wines Debuts with Offerings from Extreme Vineyards by Winemaker Sebastian Donoso, Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 Tastemaker

HOPLAND, Calif., Aug. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Fringe Collective, a label exploring California's extreme vineyards and their expressions in the glass, debuts this week. Released by the new Fine Wine & Spirits Division at Fetzer Vineyards, Fringe Collective offers a West Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and a Bien Nacido Vineyards Pinot Noir, limited-production wines inspired by passionate growers whose vineyards demonstrate the potential of California's terroir for wine grapes.

In the label's debut week, Fringe Collective Winemaker Sebastian Donoso was named to Wine Enthusiast's 2019 40 Under 40 Tastemakers list—a hand-selected list of young wine, beer and spirits trailblazers making their mark on the industry—and the brand will officially launch at the popular Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival in Santa Monica August 24.

The Collective: An Exploration of Extremes
"The wines of Fringe Collective exemplify the passion and potential of California's most exacting vineyards, and what's possible in the winery when we push ourselves outside our comfort zones," said Stephanie Peachey, vice president of Fine Wine & Spirits at Fetzer Vineyards. "This project highlights our devotion to pursuing world-class craftsmanship in the cellar and beautiful and thoughtful label designs that deliver on what today's engaged wine consumer seeks."

Helmed by Donoso, working closely with colleagues viticulturist Ben Byczynski and designer Heidi Shea, Fringe Collective spotlights Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in its debut collection, with additional varietals to be added in the future. "Fringe Collective initially started as a passion project for each of us, as we looked to these incredible vineyards to inspire our respective areas of expertise—farming, winemaking and design," said Donoso of the label's inception. "At its heart, the Collective is driven by this element of collaboration."

Seafall Chardonnay ($50) is a vivid interpretation of the sandy earth, rolling fog and late-ripening vines of legendary West Sonoma Coast sites like Heintz Vineyard, where electrifying coolness from the nearby Pacific creates a crisp, layered wine brimming with vitality and energy. Donoso's restrained approach and decision to employ only partial malolactic creates an intriguing interplay between weight and lightness in the glass, while Shea's label evokes the area's coastal influence through its iconic conifers seen in reflective water.

Rockbound Pinot Noir ($65) is a supple, mineral-focused wine grown among shale-strewn soils in the Santa Maria Valley's renowned Bien Nacido Vineyards. In a rare move for red wines, Donoso barrel ferments the wine with whole clusters to capture the unique quality of the lignified grape stems and seeds that arise from the site's lengthy, fog-laden growing season. Shea's artwork for Rockbound reimagines the storied dynamism of Pinot Noir and the fringed rock that defines the vineyard.

Fringe Collective wines are available online and at select independent retailers and restaurants. Learn more and follow the Collective on Instagram and at fringecollectivewines.com.

About Fringe Collective
The Fringe Collective veers from the proverbial beaten path, seeking uncommon vineyard sites to craft something entirely rare in the glass. By pursuing extreme growing conditions with formidable obstacles, Fringe Collective winemaker Sebastian Donoso transforms the incredible promise of challenging sites into layered, complex wines with great depth and character. The debut Collective includes Seafall Chardonnay, a vivid interpretation of the sandy earth, rolling fog and late-ripening vines of the West Sonoma Coast, and Rockbound Pinot Noir, a supple, mineral-focused wine grown among shale-strewn soils in the Santa Maria Valley's Bien Nacido Vineyards.
https://fringecollectivewines.com

©2019 Fringe Collective, Hopland, Mendocino Co., CA.

SOURCE Fringe Collective

Related Links

https://fringecollectivewines.com