West and Wilder Winemaker Social

Join us Thursday March 14th from 6 to 8pm as Bitto Bistro welcomes West and Wilder from Santa Rosa, CA! The winemaker Kenny Rochford will be here sharing three of their wines with us that evening, their Rose, White and Sparkling White. Flights as well as wines by the glass will be available for purchase. We will also have their product in our shop to take home. We will have live music, as we do every Thursday, so come join us for an evening of fun and flights!

WEST + WILDER is a project by long-time Sonoma friends Matthew Allan and Kenny Rochford. They scoured the West Coast to discover and uncover the best of each state's wine regions.  Each 250mL can is 8.4 oz, two small glasses or one third of a bottle, the goldilocks of cans...not too big, not too small, just the right size.

Matt has always worked in and around marketing – and it was a dalliance with the wine business years ago that lead to this friendship. Frequently responsible for creating and launching products, Matt has worked extensively with clean tech businesses, both in startup and IPO stages. The opportunity to work with a good friend, and with wine again made Matt smile.

Kenny has always worked with wine; beginning with a fine wine shop while at university, he's worked wine production, marketing and general management roles with California wineries. Most recently, he launched the brand CIRQ and spearheaded sales and marketing for Pinot noir heroes Kosta Browne. No stranger to the world of highly allocated brands, he was drawn to a project that brought that same level of focus and quality to something more widely available and fun. When not obsessing on wine he spends his time cooking and encouraging people to eat more marmalade.

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Orchard Wine Cellar Movers and Shakers This Week

  • Bonavita Red

    #1 Bonavita Red

    Made from four grapes harvested later than usual to achieve a greater ripeness and smoothness. A deep and inky wine, with ripe plum and blackcurrant aromas. Nice ripe fig and cherry with chocolate and licorice flavors. Just enough oak to give it some backbone.
    (Holding the #1 spot)

  • Armas de Guerra Rose

    #2 Armas de Guerra Rose

    My heavens! 50+ year old, organic Mencia vines from some of the highest vineyards in Bierzo. Subtle aromas of strawberry, pink grapefruit and white pepper play with clean river rock minerality touched by zesty key lime. Balance and finish are tied together with a vibrating acidity. Structured and executed like a world class ballerina doing flamenco. Sells out every year for good reason. Lighter than Provence, a different planet than White Zin. The only hard part is only opening one bottle at a time. (behind by 18 bottles)

  • Tintero Moscato

    #3 Tintero Moscato

    Sori Gramella refers to the one of the only single vineyard Moscatos, and Marco is the only producer to bottle this striking limestone amphitheater commercially. Once the 30 year old vines give up their bounty, and the grapes are harvested and pressed, they are kept in stainless steel at a low temperature to prevent fermentation until an order is received in order to provide the freshest wine possible. (behind by 2 bottles)

  • Sweet Sunset Chocolate Merlot

    #4 Sweet Sunset Chocolate Merlot

    First lets say that this is Not ChocoVine. This wine is actually made with eighty five percent Merlot and than has natural chocolate cream added to the mix. This is the wine for anyone looking for sweet red or the chocolate lover at home. Great gift for the holidays. tied

Fun New Arrivals

  • Chateau Redortier Beaumes de Venise

    Chateau Redortier Beaumes de Venise

    Wine geeks know of Gigondas and Vacqueras that show off Grenache like no other. Bordering both is Beaumes de Venise which is known for fortified Muscat. On a steep hillside (at 1500 ft!) twin sisters Sabine and Isabelle make this earthy, spicy blend of Grenache, Syrah and Counoise. A gorgeous wine.

  • Amon Ra

    Amon Ra

    The 2014 Amon Ra reflects the tried and true essence of the Glaetzer style - generosity of flavor with finesse of structure. The inky purple color displays the gentle but full extraction. The nose shows an abundance of dark blueberry, vanilla, black cherry and hints of cassis with notes of mixed spice and anise. Although still young and firmly wound, the vibrant blackberry and dried spice flavors integrate well with youthful yet supple tannins with the trademark loooong and sleek finish. Meant to go 10 to 15 years to hit its prime.

  • A.D. Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon

    A.D. Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon

    This four grain whiskey uses a blend of rye, wheat and barley sourced from the Colorado Malting Company, and corn from Briess Malting in Wisconsin - encompassing the "mother grains" of bourbon. The whiskey ages about 3 years, all year round to capture the seasonal nuances from the ever-changing Colorado mountain air, in new, 53 gallon charred oak barrels source from Independent Stave Company.

  • Bermatinger

    Bermatinger

    Do you love Burgundy, but not the price tag attached to it? This spatburgunder from Baden gives you a stellar example of what pinot can be outside of France. Red fruits and floral notes accompanied by that earthy, forest floor, mushroom that Burgundy is known for. Beautifully balanced, definitely one that should have a place at your table.