Jeff Pisoni and Bibiana González Rave may be absorbed in their respective winemaking ventures, but they are still able to collaborate not only in their family life but also in their professional capacities. After all, both Jeff—vintner for the Pisoni family—and Bibiana, who crafts Alma de Cattleya as well as Cattleya wines, possess the same high standards for their craft and share a devotion to terroir.
The latest fruits of Shared Notes, their joint venture since 2012, are particularly spectacular. 2019 Shared Notes Les Pierres qui Décident (literally, “the rocks decide,”) pays homage to the Russian River Valley site from which its grapes derive. Pure gold in the glass, this Sauvignon Blanc is a balm for summer’s heat—vibrant with aromatic intensity and refreshingly dry and crisp. Les Leçons des Maîtres, a Bordeaux to its core, balances the best of the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon varietals. The fusion of the mineral-driven tang of crushed rock and ocean air elegantly counterpoints notes of pear, peach, and melon to create a wine as complex as it is elegant. The result of close and abiding care in the vineyard as in the winery, these two wines showcase the skill of their makers, yet wear their learning lightly.
As a complement to their ongoing partnership in the winery, Jeff and Bibiana have begun offering 100% Colombian coffee, a product of single farm, small lots and meticulous attention to detail. Coffee beans possess their own distinct flavor profiles, and quite naturally add a particularly appropriate grace note to Shared Notes.
“The time had come,” Bibiana explains. “I set down roots in California 15 years ago, Jeff and I both make wine here, and we now have two boys and wanted a project to connect our kids to their Colombian roots. In the region of Antioquia, when you want to meet with people you invite them over for a cup of coffee.”
“There’s the same purity in finely-roasted coffee as in a glass of well-crafted Sauvignon Blanc,” Jeff adds.
While it’s harder to meet in person these days, we can still pour a glass of wine or a cup of coffee to share on camera with friends near and far away. If you’re like Bibiana, who drinks coffee morning, noon, and night, you just might find yourself ordering an extra week’s supply of 100% Colombian coffee alongside your bottles of Les Pierres and Les Leçons.
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