Jolie-Laide Rodnick Farm Vineyard Melon de Bourgogne Chalone 2021

It may be hard to believe but the new spring season is upon us and with it comes some of our favorite new releases! If you are interested in bright, balanced, honest wines from incredibly talented and charismatic winemakers who have the confidence to push boundaries, yet still produce wines that overflow with elegance and finesse, look no further than Jolie-Laide, founded by winemaker Scott Schultz. Scott’s vision of making his own wine caught light in 2007 when he moved from Chicago to Napa Valley to assist with the wine program at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro. In the years that followed, Scott went on to work harvests as a cellar master for Pax Mahle of Wind Gap Wines in Sebastopol, who allowed Scott to make a bit of wine for himself using the obscure Trousseau Gris grape. By 2010, Jolie-Laide had officially launched! The name Jolie-Laide translates loosely to “Pretty-Ugly”, a French term of endearment to describe something that is unconventionally beautiful. Today, Scott makes some of the most unique and highly sought-after wines in California that are true to their name. Whether enjoyed poolside or at the dinner table, each of his unique bottlings is the perfect complement to any experience. 

The Rodnick Farm Vineyard is a dramatic high desert site in the Gabilan Mountains neighboring Pinnacles National Park. South-facing, the vineyard boasts 1800 feet of elevation overlooking Monterey with moderating coastal influence. The vines are situated just beneath an extinct volcano with decomposed granite and limestone soils, making this a prime grape growing site. Scott picked early to preserve natural acidity and pressed the grapes whole-cluster into concrete eggs where the juice underwent spontaneous fermentation and subsequent 6-month sur lie èlevage. Think of the ocean when enjoying this wine, with its melodic aromas of lime zest, citrus blossom, lemon verbena, and chalky oyster shells!