2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir Charles Heintz Vineyard

Michael Cruse's small winery is located in a totally non-descript warehouse zone in Petaluma, just off Highway 101. Originally trained as a biologist, Cruse found little satisfaction in his work and applied to the Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis on a whim. Cruse was accepted, but chose to first work in a few wineries first, where he used his science background to set up several in-house labs. Along the way, Cruse started reading old Champagne texts and thinking about how to implement those concepts in California. The result is Ultramarine. I was deeply impressed with the two sparkling wines I tasted, and I say that as someone who is not a huge fan of California sparkling wine. But Cruse is on to something special. I encourage readers to check out these wines, as they are truly special. The Blanc de Blancs, from the famed Charles Heintz Vineyard, is particularly of note.