Head winemaker Ondine Chattan is a female veteran in a business which has been dominated by males. Her time in the California wine industry has seen her getting purple hands at Cline, Ridge Vineyards and for 18 years at Geyser Peak prior to joining Share A Splash. She is a California native who takes a hands-on approach to winemaking, educated at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Fresno State. She is proud of her spring releases, and she says they show the bright fruit flavors for which her home state is famous.
Angels & Cowboys Brut Rosé NV
This all-California sparkler is made in the traditional method of secondary fermentation, using traditional Champagne grapes - 73% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 2% Pinot Meunier. The fruit comes not, of course, from Burgundy but from Mendocino and Sonoma counties. The non-vintage bubbly is in it first release, with 2,500 cases made, at 12% abv and a retail price of $24.
This wine shows a light tint in the glass and offers a nose of apples, cherries and fresh bread. The palate comes on with a racy acidity, fine bubbles and an earthy take on raspberry and citrus. The wine's finish is lengthy and quite enjoyable.
Angels & Cowboys Sonoma County Rosé 2020
This Grenache-based rosé was made in a traditional style called "œil de perdrix," meaning partridge's eye in French, a reference to the pale pink color of the dying bird's eye. It is more commonly called Vin Gris - grey wine - and is made with very little skin contact for a more delicate style and hue. Alcohol tips 12.5% abv and the retail sticker reads $16.
This wine is tinted a very pale pink in the glass, as one might expect from a rosé of Provence, not Sonoma. The nose presents a beautiful basket of ripe cherries and strawberries, with a smokey hint just above the glass. The acidity is nice and fresh, but not exactly razor-sharp. On the palate, the red fruit dominates, and gets a little help from a lightly tart citrus effect. The medium finish is pretty and fruity.
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