Ingeniously designed as a graceful continuation of the landscape, Freestone winery is situated in the midst of the vineyards. Taking advantage of the building’s three stories, the force of gravity is harnessed to transport wine from fermenters to barrels. The subterranean level is an ideal cellar environment where temperature and humidity are controlled naturally with minimal energy requirements.
The Freestone Vineyard Estate in the Sonoma Coast appellation is comprised of three distinct properties: Pastorale Vineyard, Quarter Moon Vineyard and Ferguson Vineyard. The vineyards lie only 5-8 miles from the Pacific Ocean west of Bodega Bay, providing a long and cool growing season. Goldridge soils, dramatic elevations, careful attention to clonal and rootstock selections and use of biodynamic farming principles result in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that is distinctly Freestone.
The first vines were planted in 2000 with phased replantings occurring through 2007, in part due to the challenges of the site and also to diversify clonal selection and rootstocks. Thus far the vineyard diversity at Freestone has produced wine of tremendous complexity, offering layers of earth, jam, spice and minerality. Today the oldest vines are eight years old with over eighty percent of the estate planted to Pinot Noir.
The principles of biodynamic farming are applied at Freestone and form the basis of self-sustainable winegrowing. Biodynamic farming maintains, preserves and ecologically enhances the natural vineyard environment by combining natural farming practices – composting, recycling nutrients, carefully managed irrigation, the use of cover crops – with natural remedies for deficiencies and seasonal changes such as simple, natural non-toxic biological field and foliar sprays. The results of all this work contribute to the cultivation and preservation of soil
health, which in turn affect fruit quality – all while respecting the environment.
Diurnal temperature swings of 45 degrees are not unusual in the
Freestone area which can also make for a very long growing season. Budbreak typically begins in late February and harvest can last until
the end of October. This long hang time allows for rich flavors to develop while the filtered light provided by the fog layer ensures a nice
backbone of natural acidity creating the ultimate vine balance.
|
|
Red Wine
|
|
White Wine
|
|
Sparkling Wine & Champagne
|
Kosher
Wine which is produced and bottled under strict supervision and meets all standards to be certified Kosher.
Organic
Wine which is produced using organic practices and is free of all synthetic chemicals, antibiotics, hormones and pesticides.
Biodynamic
Biodynamic designation is regulated by Demeter, an international certification organization. Biodynamic agriculture is based on the view of a farm as a self-contained organism. Certified organic vineyards must meet Demeter"s additional criteria for a period of one year before earning the designation "biodynamic."
Sustainably Grown
Sustainable practices incorporate organic standards and may exceed them and include ecologically and socially sound business practices such as fair pay for farm workers and energy conservation.
Screw Cap
Wines sealed with a screw cap as opposed to a cork, which experts report protects and preserves wine more effectively than does a cork, while also eliminating the possibility of cork taint.
No Sulfites
All wines naturally contain some sulfites, however wines that contain less than 10 parts per million sulfites are not required to include "Contains Sulfites" on their labels.
Futures
Wines that are still in the barrel and have yet to be bottled. Futures offer the opportunity to invest in a wine before it arrives in our store.
Pre-arrivals
Like futures, pre-arrivals are wines that have not yet arrived on our shelves, however they may or may not be a new release. Pre-arrivals may already be bottled and en route to our store.
Wine Advocate
The Wine Advocate is a bimonthly wine publication featuring the consumer advice of wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. Initially titled The Baltimore-Washington Wine Advocate the first issue was published in 1978. Accepting no advertising, the newsletter publishes in excess of 7,500 reviews per year, utilizing Parker's rating system that employs a 50-100 point quality scale.
Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertainment pieces. Each issue also includes from 400 to more than 1,000 wine reviews, which consist of wine ratings and tasting notes.
International Wine Cellar
Since 1997, the 100% subscriber-supported IWC has also been available in French and Japanese editions.
Wine Enthusiast
Wine Enthusiast Magazine is a lifestyle magazine covering wine, food, spirits, travel and entertaining topics. It was founded in 1988 by Adam and Sybil Strum and reaches 686,000 readers. Its wine ratings, conducted by reviewers in major wine-producing areas of the world, are considered an influential gauge for consumers and professionals in the wine industry.
Wine & Spirits
Wine and Spirits is America's practical guide to the straightforward, enlightened enjoyment of fine wine and and premium spirits. We have for 18 years served customers and marketers alike with a lively mix of wine reviews, features, profiles, food and wine pairings, new product introductions, travel pieces, history, opinion and wine business news.
Burghound
Burghound.com was the first of its kind to offer specialized, and more importantly, exhaustive coverage of a specific wine region. The first Issue was released in January of 2001 and there are now subscribers in more than 50 countries and nearly all 50 states. Allen Meadows spends over four months a year in Burgundy and visits more than 300 domaines during that time.
James Halliday
James is one of the world’s leading authorities on Australian wine, matching intelligent, honest reviews with unparalleled knowledge of, and passion for, the wine industry.
Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine
For thirty-five years, Connoisseurs’ Guide has been the authoritative voice of the California wine consumer. With readers in all fifty states and twenty foreign countries, the Guide is valued by wine lovers everywhere for its honesty and for it strong adherence to the principles of transparency, unbiased, hard-hitting opinions.
James Suckling
I rate wines using the 100-points scale. I have used this point system for close to 25 years. I still believe it is the simplest way to rate a wine, with its origins from grade school in the United States. A wine that I rate 90 points or more is outstanding (A), and worth buying. If I rate a wine 95 points or more (A+), it is a must buy.
View from the Cellar
View From the Cellar, an electronic wine newsletter published bi-monthly by John Gilman.
Wine Journal
Homepage for wine writer, Neal Martin's, "Diary of a Wine Writer".
Malt Advocate
Malt Advocate magazine is America's leading whisky magazine. It's the number one source for whisky information, education and entertainment for whisky enthusiasts.
The Rhone Report
Dedicated to the wines and grapes of the Rhone Valley
Wine Review Online
Wine Review Online was originally conceived by Publisher Robert Whitley as an all-encompassing platform for the many talented wine journalists he came across in his travels as wine columnist for the Creators Syndicate.
All sizes are 750mL unless otherwise noted.
Vintages and ratings subject to change at any time.
All pricing and availability subject to change.
