The Initiation marks the true beginning of a quest. For my own journey, the Côte-Rôtie, home to some of the world’s most exquisite Syrahs, was where I worked my first harvests and made my first wines. My own initiation. My goal was to create a Syrah of great beauty and finesse. Sourced from the Soberanes Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation of Monterey County, the Syrah for this cuvée is first cold-soaked then undergoes a long, slow fermentation. Initiation is aged in over 42% new French oak.

As we emerge from the perils found in the Belly of the Whale, we emerge upon the Road of Trials, the first step in the Initiation. The profile of this wine hearkens back to classic Côte-Rôtie, dark berries, white pepper, cedar, and cured meats. It’s bold and powerful, yet pure, like the hero making ready to be initiated into the next phase of his journey.

BIBIANA GONZÁLEZ RAVE

I grew up in a country where vineyards are virtually non-existent. My exposure to wine was limited only to rare occasions at the dinner table. A few sips occasionally stolen from my father’s wine glass were enough to inspire an all-consuming dream—to become a winemaker. So I packed my bags and left for France. And in that moment I set the course of my life, a never-ending journey pursuing inspirational wines. During the summer of 2001, I immersed myself in all things wine, ultimately earning a BTS degree in Viticulture and Enology from Cognac followed by a degree in Enology from the University of Bordeaux, graduating with honors.

Driven by the tenacity which first took me to France, I pruned vines during ice-cold winters, trimmed shoots in sweltering summers, and tended to the vines that cling to the sheer slopes of Côte-Rôtie—first at Domaine Stéphane Ogier, then at Domaine Clusel-Roch. At the famed estates of Château Haut-Brion & La Mission Haut-Brion, I completed research for my thesis. This hard work paid off – I had the privilege to work among other family-owned wine producers in Burgundy, Alsace, and Cognac. My passion for wine whisked me around the globe, sending me between California, South Africa, and France for several years before I decided to call California my home.

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