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Background: Big House
Georgetta Dane is Winemaker/Warden over at The Big House. Georgetta comes from Suceava, Romania, the previous capitol of the Moldovian province. Steeped in history and surrounded by vino-centric culture, Georgetta had the luck of developing a palate with thousands of different and interesting varieties of wines and wine making styles. Unlike the United States, where wine styles and varieties are driven by trends, old world markets are dominated by tradition and terroir.
The Big House actually resides on an oenophilic temporal door between California and the Mediterranean. Our winemaking philosophy is driven by several very salient themes, that include: 1) Having as much fun as possible in the enterprise of winemaking as the government agencies will allow; 2) producing wine and wine labels that will inspire and move people; 3) retaining as much of the natural qualities of the grapes as possible, and making wines that are friendly both to foods and the people that consume them; 4) Always giving priority to lesser known varietals in the hopes of uprooting the homogeneous mass that is currently controlling out palate and our wallet.
Georgetta’s philosophy of winemaking is very influenced by her keen sense of smell. She approaches blending by breaking down the nuanced aromas of each wine and understanding how they will compliment each other in the final wine. A student of the more eclectic varieties such as Tempranillo, Valdigue, Counoisé, Ruchè, and Primitivo, Georgetta is a perfect fit for the misfits of The Big House. She’s quintessentially a perfumer surrounded by some of the best ingredients that both nature and time could offer. As the warden of the Big House, she will be a champion for the disenfranchised grape’s rights.
P.S They have a fun web site that is worth a look.
Big House Wines 2008 Big House White
This is an interesting blend of Malvasia Bianca, Muscat Canelli, Viognier and Roussanne that really surprises for the price. Even in the $8-$10 range, the wine still delivers a bright, layered nose, with springtime aromas of honeysuckle and orange-blossoms that flow into notes of citrus and grass. Flavors of ripe pear, melon, and tart pineapple build to a citrus finish. A nicely balanced wine, with a fresh acidity, it outdoes many whites at twice its price. Stock up on this one.
FBWorld Panel Score: 88
