a-MAZE-ing Artevino
Wine X Staff
Online Edition
I love sharing stories of people that are making great juice, doing it right & livin’ the dream. That’s the case with Maple Creek Winery, a small family-owned winery in southern Mendocino County that produces the Artevino family of wines.
What you need to know is this, Tom Rodrigues, after a very successful career as an artist and designer, took the leap ‘o faith into winemaking in 2001. If the Artevino label seems a little familiar, it may be because Tom’s previous work includes label design for the Far Niente family of wines.
In 2001, Tom acquired a small family ranch & winery in Yorkville, California, and then started the business over his way. That meant a notable commitment to bringing forward the characteristics of the terroir combined with a style of winemaking (especially with the pinots) more reminiscent of the French style of winemaking. Less extracted, more earth-expressive.
We tried the current offerings alongside some of our favorite reference bottles and each one of the Artevino wines drank marvelously and were clearly true to Tom’s desire to go where the spirit of the grapes take him. We like that…..a lot!
These are great bottles to bring to a party. The bottle simply pops alongside others & the product is sublime.
Here are our reviews.
2017 Estate Pinot Noir Yorkville Highlands
Imagine eating a blueberry sorbet sitting against a tree in Muir Woods. Berry and woody and over-the-top. Wine X says: XXX
2017 Lost Creek Pinot Noir Yorkville Highlands
Foraging for ‘shrooms with before cooking with Jennifer Lawrence. Dusty, earthy, bright & sexy. Sneaks up on you and then you’re hooked. Wine X says: XX1/2 A tongue kiss away from XXX!
2014 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
Imagine driving the new Vette through Times Square while eating Fig Newtons. Jammy, figgy, and a lot goin’ on. It’s all good. Wine X says: XX1/2
2017 Largo Ridge Zinfandel
On the beach in West Palm, enjoying a rare July cool front. Rich, bold, scruffy. Hot, but pleasantly not as hot as others. Wine X says: XX
