Every grape tells a story of sun-kissed fields and craftsmanship.

As seen on the “Wine of the Month Club - February 2023” article by:

Winemaker: Stefan Daniels

Price: $26

Suggested Food Pairings:

Roast Duck, 

Mushroom Risotto,

Tuna Steak in Lemon and Tomato Sauce

Glazed BBQ Pork Ribs

Elevated Surface Cuvée Laurent Noir 2019

Region / Country of Origin: Ricci Vineyard, Carneros, California

About the winery:  Elevated Surface is a small production brand of Kelter Wines, founded in 2017 by Stefan Daniels. With over 40 years of experience in the California wine industry, Stefan has a wealth of knowledge in vine growing and winemaking. From the very start of his career, he believed that "great winemaking starts in the vineyard." For this reason, Stefan sources the grapes for his wines from the Ricci Vineyard, situated south of Sonoma in the Los Carneros region overlooking San Pablo Bay. Working closely with the owner, Dale Ricci, Stefan can ensure that the highest quality grapes are grown for his winemaking. Cold mornings and cool daytime temperatures, combined with loam and alluvial clay soils, create the perfect conditions for Elevated Surface's Saint Laurent, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines.

About the winemaking: The grapes ripened very late in the  year, in October, a welcome development. Unfortunately, upon the arrival of the grapes, the winery lost power for five days, necessitating hand sorting and whole cluster transfer to the fermentation bins. This fermentation method, also known as semi-carbonic maceration, occurs from the inside out of the grape berry. The result is an aromatic, elegant wine with lovely spice tones. After a long and slow fermentation, the wine was gently pressed and transferred to the barrel for 14 months of aging.

Tasting Notes: Bright, aromatic with fresh, dark cherries, plum, violets aromas and a hint of five-spice powder note. Soft round tannins with elegant structure and balanced acidity.